Innovative recycling in the North

A recycling scheme in Durham and South Tyneside is set to enter its second phase. The local authority trial, organised by Premier Waste Management, will be extended to a further 3,000 households in South Tyneside.

Those who take part in the scheme place their plastic and cardboard waste in dedicated plastic sacks provided by Premier Waste Management and then place the sacks inside the household wheelie bins, to be separated after collection by the company. As part of the second phase, households involved in the trial will receive new purple bin liners (pictured). The eye-catching colour will ensure that recyclable waste stands out effectively from the other waste.

Phil Towers at Premier Waste Management said: "This trial has proved hugely successful and we are confident that this second phase will prove even more so."

Over 25 tonnes of card and more than 10 tonnes of plastic bottles have been collected every month. Recycling one plastic bottle saves enough energy to power a 60-watt light bulb for six hours, so the energy-saving implications of Durham and South Tyneside's recycling scheme are impressive.

South Tyneside Councillor, Michael Claire, commented: "Local people have really taken up the recycling challenge in recent years...By working together like this, we can make South Tyneside a cleaner, greener place for everyone."