WEST Devon?s popular Green and Clean recycling scheme has been extended to take in a further 550 households in Lydford and Princetown. Almost half of West Devon?s households ? around 11,000 homes ? now have their garden waste and bulky card collected every fortnight from the kerbside by West Devon Borough Council. The new collections are expected further to increase the amount of waste West Devon recycles. Latest figures show that residents already recycle more than a third ? around 35% ? of their waste, making them one of the top recyclers in Devon and among the best in the country. The Green and Clean scheme has gone from strength to strength since it was introduced in Autumn 2004, making full use of its truck, which was funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). With May being one of the busiest collection months of the year, there are strong signs that the amount of garden waste and bulky card being collected is increasing. In the first week of May this year, a total of 54 tonnes of garden waste and bulky card were collected from households, compared with 33 tonnes for the same period last year. Cllr Jayne Hill, chairman of the council?s environment and community committee, said: ?It?s been a record May so far with a 60% increase in tonnage. ?Such an increase in the use of Green and Clean is unprecedented and shows just how committed and keen our residents are to utilise the service and recycle as much as they can.? West Devon?s recycling officers also report that home composting has never been so popular with residents as it is now. The council staged three popular home composting roadshows this spring. Lydford and Princetown join areas currently on the scheme including Bere Alston, Horrabridge, Buckland, Crapstone, Mary Tavy, Bridestowe, Tavistock, Okehampton, Yelverton and Dousland. All the new participating households are being issued with two 90-litre bags and an information leaflet giving collection dates for the next six months. In the bag should go grass cuttings, hedge trimmings, weeds, plants and twigs, branches ? up to the thickness of your wrist ? and vase flowers. The card and garden waste is composted together at a site in Plymouth and is sold as West Country Compost via local garden centres.
