BINgo game winners across Sandwell announced
Cash prizes of £1,000 have been won by residents just for putting out their food waste bins in a new bingo-style game being launched by council bosses.
The BINgo game is aimed at increasing the number of families recycling across Sandwell.
Anyone putting their brown food waste caddy out on their usual collection day had BINgo numbers stickers attached.
Recyclers received a new number each week to mark off on their cards over the 12 weeks scheme, which has now come to an end.
Two lucky residents from Sandwell hit the jackpot prize as part of the reward scheme. Kevin Kay from West Bromwich and Margaret Wallis from Tipton won the £1,000 jackpot prize.
Sandwell councillor Maria Crompton, who oversees the scheme, said: "The reward scheme was a new innovative idea to get more residents to recycle food waste.
"We are keen to increase food waste recycling and have found that rewarding customers to do so has helped boost our rates.
"I was so happy to present the winners with a jackpot prize just before Christmas and I hope this continues to encourage more residents to recycle."
Residents can still claim prizes until January 30. Other prizes won were 21 gym memberships across Sandwell and free compostable liners.
Jason Holtom, partnership director for Serco, which operate rubbish and recycling collections in the borough, added: "I encourage residents to keep recycling as much as they can as we know that there are a lot more items in their grey bins that could be recycled.
"We will continue to look at ways in which we can reward people and communities who do recycle, but I would like residents to view recycling more as a duty rather than a choice."
Plans for a new recycling reward scheme will be announced in the coming weeks.
