NEW ways of collecting rubbish will be "wheeled out" in a North Yorkshire district in an attempt to meet green targets.

Hambleton District Council bosses say all but a handful of its householders will be using two wheelie bins to separate their rubbish by 2005.

The initiative, which is set to come to the Easingwold area in September, will enable the district council to meet its recycling targets - and send less rubbish to already over-full landfill sites.

The Government expects the council to recycle 16 per cent by 2004, rising to 24 per cent by 2005/06.

This year councillors expect the figure to stand at 15 per cent - up from the 9.6 per cent achieved last year.

The new scheme is one of a number of action points identified in the authority's waste management strategy - produced to complement strategies for the region and for York and North Yorkshire.

It has been piloted by more than 5,000 homes in Thirsk over the last seven months. They have been separating rubbish into two bins - green for garden waste and black for residual kitchen waste - for alternate weekly collections.

Analysis so far shows a recycling rate of 33.2 per cent - with more than 559 tonnes diverted from landfill to composting or recycling sites.

"This scheme has proved an overwhelming success," said Coun Arthur Barker, cabinet spokesman on waste management.

"Not only has it seen people embrace the idea of separating waste into the two wheelie bins, but we have seen a huge increase in usage of our recycling centres. In order for this to be a success, residents need to think about how they dispose of their rubbish. It is vital that we reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill sites.

"We believe that by rolling this scheme out across the district we can at least achieve - if not exceed - the Government targets. That will place the authority in the forefront of recycling achievements in the UK."

It is expected that 36,000 of the district's 36,737 homes will be included in the scheme. In September all towns and villages south of Thirsk - including Easingwold, Shipton, Linton-on-Ouse and Alne - will take delivery of the wheelie bins. Council chiefs are also to consider extending its plastic bottle recycling scheme to Easingwold.

Updated: 08:18 Friday, March 07, 2003