The time has finally come for Merton's new bins to show us what they're made of.

As of October 1, the council's new recycling and rubbish collection service will begin, to the delight of some and fury of many.

More than 64,000 homes have received their two new wheelie bins in what is an attempt by the council to increase recycling and save money (£1.6 million a year to be exact).

Merton cabinet member for the environment, Councillor Mike Brunt said: “This 'recycle week' marks the end of the old collection system – no more split black bin bags littering our streets.

"Instead, residents can start using their new wheelie bins for the new recycling and rubbish collection service.

"The new service will save us all money and increase opportunities to recycle so that together we can increase Merton’s recycling rate from the current level of 37 per cent to 45 per cent in the next 12 months. Our aim is to become one of the best recycling boroughs in London."

So as of next week, textiles and household batteries will be included in the council’s household collection service, as well as paper and card, plastics, cans, cartons, glass and food waste.

The blue-lidded wheelie bin is specifically for recycling paper and cardboard and the black bin is for non-recyclable rubbish.

Houses will continue to use their green and purple boxes for recycling plastics, cartons, cans and glass and their food waste caddies for unavoidable food waste.

Food waste, textiles and household batteries will be collected every week. Recycling will be collected on an alternate weekly basis – paper and cardboard in the blue lidded wheelie bin one week and plastics, cans, cartons and glass the other week. The black lidded wheelie bin for waste that cannot be recycled will be collected on the same day as the paper and card wheelie bin.