Dog owners in Leigh are being given hundreds of good reasons to ‘scoop the poop’ by council environment bosses.

Signs are being fixed to litterbins in places frequently used by dog walkers, explaining that placing wrapped dog waste in ordinary bins is now acceptable.

More than 1,700 litterbins are provided in the borough’s streets, parks and open spaces. Owners face a £50 fixed penalty notice or a fine of up to £1,000 if they fail to clean up after their pet.

Cllr David Molyneux, chairman of Wigan Council’s environment panel, said: “The law specifically allows the disposal of wrapped dog waste in litterbins or a dog owner’s own wheelie bin – as well as in a dedicated dog-waste bin.

“Many dog walkers may not realise this is the case, while those who do have sometimes been criticised for using normal litterbins by other members of the public."

Wigan Council, in line with many others, has moved away from providing dedicated dog waste bins on the grounds of cost and practicality.

Cllr Molyneux added: “They are more likely to be vandalised, while dog mess placed in a litterbin and mixed with normal rubbish is not classed as clinical waste, and so the cost of disposal is much less. “We want to get the message out far and wide to dog owners – so long as it’s properly wrapped it’s perfectly OK to use ordinary litter bins, which are frequently emptied.”

Councillors from the authority’s Environment Panel welcomed the extra publicity, which is part of a major drive to educate residents and visitors to be environmentally responsible. They also supported the news that up to 100 council officers and police community support officers are being trained to spot litter, dog fouling, graffiti and other environmental offences – so that offenders are taken to task if they break the rules.