Ratepayers began paying the $80 fee for the new bin service last July.

From next Monday Orange City Council will begin delivering 15,000 bins to residences across the city ahead of the July start.

Food and garden waste from the green bins will be taken to the Ophir Road Resource Recovery Centre for shredding before it is transported to the council’s new facility at Euchareena Road, Molong to make compost for resale at $35 per cubic metre.

But because the composting facility is yet to be finished the waste will continue to be placed in landfill for at least a month after the green bin collection starts.

Council spokesman Allan Reeder said the extra time would give residents the opportunity to get used to the new system and help avoid long-term contamination of the compost facility with non-organic waste.

“The emphasis will be on education and awareness-raising rather than penalties. While many Orange residents are used to managing the domestic waste that goes into a backyard compost bin, for others it will be a new thing,” he said.

Plastic bags are banned but food waste can be wrapped in newspaper and placed in the green bin. The council will sell small optional kitchen bench bins for $20 to make it easier for people who don’t already have a compost bin system, Mr Reeder said.

The green bin will be picked up on the same day as residents’ red bins, while the yellow recycling bin service will stay the same.

Mr Reeder said the regularity of the services and bin sizes may be reviewed if the volume of red bin waste decreased when the green bins are introduced.

“It will lead to a lot less material going to landfill, which is better for the environment,” he said.

Truck drivers will monitor the contents of the bins with onboard cameras and warn residents with stickers on their bins when the wrong thing is placed in the bin.