Cleaner streets are being reported across the borough after another 12,000 homes received a new wheelie bin.

The households join the 30,000 homes already using the service aimed at encouraging people to recycle more and reduce rubbish thrown away.

The roll-out by Hounslow Council has caused some controversy as people living in some neighbourhoods do not wish to have the unsightly bins, while some councillors also disagree with their ontroduction .

Protesters even blocked council leader Steve Curran in his home with a stack of the bins to make their point in November.

However the use of the bins has in some cases proved to be helpful preventing foxes, cats, birds and other animals from tearing into black bin bags in search of food which is then often found scattered across roads and gardens.

Nelson Ferreira, from Hanworth, who was delighted to receive his bin last week, said: “I am really pleased to have been given a bin.

“Foxes and cats, including my own cat, rip open bags and make a huge mess.

“The wheelie bin will stop that happening and keep my street and garden cleaner.”

The majority of London boroughs use wheelie bins for the collection of household rubbish.

In Hounslow, the new 140-litre bins, around one metre in height, which have been given out to residents are helped to manage the change from bags to bins with visits from the council’s team of staff.

Neil Clapson, from Chiswick was pleased to have been given a wheelie bin, saying: “I like the wheelie bin and have wanted the council to introduce one for ages.

“Wheelie bins force households to recycle more.”

The remaining 24,000 households receiving bins will be written to before Christmas, with their bins delivered in January and February next year.

'You can really see the difference'

Cllr Curran, leader of Hounslow council, said: “We made the decision to introduce wheelie bins to encourage residents to help the environment by recycling more and minimising how much waste they throw away. But there other benefits too.

“By recycling more we can prevent sending waste to harmful landfill sites, and save money. It costs around £120 per tonne to send rubbish to landfill compared to £20 to recycle the same amount.

“Walking down streets where wheelie bins have been introduced, you can really see the difference they’ve made. Ugly black sacks, partially torn, are gone.

“The roads are a lot cleaner and most homes are managing to fit all their rubbish into the bin without it overflowing.

"Anyone who thinks our decision to introduce bins was rubbish need only walk down roads still receiving black sack collections and compare these to those with the new service to see this difference for themselves.

"I appreciate that wheelie bins have not been popular with all our residents, but I am confident that this change will help make our borough cleaner and greener.

“I hope, in time, everyone will agree that we did the right thing for our borough - and the environment.”

For more information visit the Hounslow Council website .