Thousands of households across Carmarthenshire are being warned to check their bin collection dates ahead of major changes beginning on Monday, 2 November.

Around a third of homes in the county, mainly in western Carmarthenshire, are moving to a new system requiring residents to separate recyclable materials into different bags and sacks.

However, collection days could change across the entire county, including for households remaining on the existing recycling system.

Under the new arrangements, participating homes will receive a red sack for metals, plastics and cartons, an orange sack for cardboard, and a blue sack for paper.

Separate red bags will be used for plastic wrapping, while a small white sack will allow household batteries to be collected for recycling.

The changes mean households joining the scheme will no longer use the existing single-use blue recycling bags.

Carmarthenshire County Council says the service is intended to improve recycling rates and the quality of materials collected.

The authority has also introduced temporary allowances for households affected by changes to their black bag collection schedules.

Residents whose first collection under the new timetable falls during the weeks beginning 9 or 16 November will be permitted to put out up to four black bags.

The usual limit of three bags will apply again from the week beginning 23 November.

A small number of households facing a gap of more than three weeks between collections will receive an additional collection.

Affected residents will be contacted directly and will not need to request the service.

Food waste and recycling collections will continue weekly, while black bags will normally be collected every three weeks.

The council has written to households with updated calendars and information about the arrangements.

Residents are being encouraged to check their collection dates before putting waste out, even if they are not joining the new recycling scheme.

Further information is available on Carmarthenshire County Council's website.