AN online black market for wheelie bins has emerged after a resident sold their council-owned container on Facebook.

Some 12,000 homes were handed wheelie bins last month as Colchester Council prepared to introduce a new waste and recycling scheme in the borough.

Approximately one third of households in the borough have been given a 180 litre bin to keep their black bags inside.

But now people have been spotted flogging the council-owned bins to households who do not have them.

A spokesman for the council said the authority was concerned at people selling on their bins because refuse collectors would not be able to collect their black bags if it was not inside the container.

He said: “We are concerned to hear isolated reports of some residents selling their wheeled bins on the internet.

“All residents on a wheeled bin collection route have been provided with a wheeled bin free of charge, and these remain the property of the council.

“If, for whatever reason, residents are not putting their wheeled bin out, then the council will not be able to collect their residual waste, because the lorries used for the route are designed to collect these particular types of bin.”

The spokesman added residents who lost or sold their wheelie bins would have to pay for them to be replaced so their rubbish could be collected effectively.

He said:“If a wheeled bin has been lost, residents can buy another from the council at full cost.

“If a resident reports their bin as stolen, then this constitutes a theft and we advise that the event should also be reported to the police.”

Costs to replace individual wheelie bins have not yet been calculated as the initial order of the containers included delivery and a discount for purchasing in huge bulk.

One person who sold their bin online for £20 said they simply had no use or space for it in their home.

She said: “I recycle everything.

“My tins and glass go in one box and my plastics go in clear bags as does all paper and card.

“I also have a separate bin for my food waste.

She added: “I am grateful for the garden bin which is of great use to me as I am a keen gardener but I have no use for the black wheelie bin.

“It would just take up room of which I don’t have so, therefore, I thought I would sell it.

“I have heard a lot of other people also have sold theirs so at least it has gone to a good use.”