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Since 2002, more than 47,000 bargain-priced composters have been sold in the county ? that includes a staggering 6500-plus being sold this year.

Encouraging home composting is a major component in West Sussex County Council's ongoing drive to divert green waste from landfill in partnership with District and Borough Councils and Viridor Waste management.

Part of the campaign has included signing a deal with the Waste and Resources Action programme (WRAP) ? the nationwide initiative to boost recycling ? to offer West Sussex residents top quality composters at rock bottom prices.

It means you can purchase a home composter from as little ?8 (usual price - ?40) and have it delivered free to your door.

The bargain bins now come with:

? A free kitchen caddy to make it easy for people to transfer kitchen waste to the garden.

? Free seasonal support information, which gives lots of hints and tips about home composting and how to get the most out of it.

Frank Wilkinson, County Council Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, said:

?It's not often we get something for nothing in this world. But simply by home composting you can produce great garden fertiliser - absolutely free! What is more, it is easy to do, takes little effort and it doesn't matter how big or small your garden is.

?However, there's more to composting than just producing rich and nutritious food for the soil. Crucially it helps to reduce the amount of waste having to be sent to landfill.?

There are three reasons why this is vital:

ONE: Biodegradable waste in landfill creates methane, a greenhouse gas 20 times more potent than CO2.

TWO: Landfill is costly and getting more expensive.

THREE: We are running out of landfill.

?It's impossible to exaggerate the benefits of home composting. But they can be summed up as: It's good for the environment. It's good for the garden. It's good for the pocket.?