WEST Devon's new recycling and waste collection service has been shortlisted for a national award at the Plant and Waste Recycling Show to be held in Torbay next Wednesday.

The award is given annually to the local authority that has developed and implemented a successful waste and recycling strategy which demonstrates an increase in recycling and innovation in the way waste is processed.

The borough council's submission demonstrated how the emphasis has been changed from a refuse to a recycling collection with ten different types of recyclable material, including food waste, being picked up from every household, every week.

The new scheme also shows value for money and care for the environment by reducing the number, and improving the emission standards, of vehicles used for collections. 

The award submission illustrates how productively West Devon deals with its waste materials. Garden waste and card is taken for composting at farms in Gulworthy and Milton Abbot and food waste is processed at a Holsworthy plant which produces electricity for the national grid and spreads the resultant fertiliser on local farmland free of charge.

Cllr James McInnes, leader of the borough council, said: 'Since the new recycling and waste scheme was introduced, there has been a huge increase in the amount of waste recycled to almost 52%.

'With the continued support of residents and our waste contractor, Focsa Services, the council is expecting recycling collections to increase further putting the borough among the top recyclers in the country.'