A NEW weekly recycling collection scheme for West Devon has been launched this week.

At the end of November the current fortnightly system involving the clear and white collection bags will be replaced. A green plastic box which has been tried and tested successfully by other local authorities, will take its place.

This will be emptied every week from the nearest kerbside on the same day as the normal refuse collection service, reducing the amount of storage necessary. The new service will start the week after the boxes are delivered.

Items which can be included are paper, cardboard, cans and — for the first time — glass. They will be protected from flies and the damp by the box lid, which should also alleviate any smells and stop other people depositing rubbish in the box. 'We hope people will wash them in between times!' said West Devon Borough Council spokesperson Alison Stoneham.

Unfortunately, plastics will no longer be included in the scheme. Mrs Stoneham said the bottom had dropped out of the market for this. 'It is no good collecting it if there is no money in it,' she said. 'We have to collect materials there is a market for to ensure they are recycled.' The amount of oil used in transport often exceeded the amount needed to make new plastic packaging.

Plymouth City Council currently sends plastics to the Netherlands for recycling due to the low price in this country, but Mrs Stoneham did not think that would be practical for West Devon.

'We are however looking at having a recycling bank for plastic milk bottles on a trial basis, but there has been no decision over its location.'

Cllr Richard Phillips, chairman of the council's waste reduction and recycling working group, said West Devon was always looking at ways to improve its services and he hoped people would welcome the news they were now collecting glass.

'Stopping the collection of plastics may disappoint some, but this was a decision that was made in consultation with many outside bodies including environmental groups. We will keep a watchful eye on the situation.'

The aim of the scheme is to try to collect as much material as possible that can be recycled in the most environmentally sustainable way. West Devon currently recycles 15 per cent of all household waste, but to meet Government targets this will have to be increased to 36 per cent by 2006.

Pat Mayston from the WestDen Waste Not project said they welcomed the new scheme and hoped it would mean even more recycling than there had been.

'This should be a much better way of doing it as the materials will be sorted at the kerbside instead of being taken into Plymouth as at present,' she said.

Further details of the box scheme can be obtained from Client Services on 01822 813656.