AT Christmas, households produce more rubbish than at any other time of the year, so this year West Devon Borough Council is encouraging residents to think about their waste and have put together a few simple seasonal tips to help.

Cllr Robert Sampson, chair of the council's environment and community committee, said that in the UK, people throw away more food waste than packaging.

Cllr Sampson said: 'Next year, West Devon Borough Council will be introducing a new waste contract which will give every household a food waste collection.

'Along with other changes to the contract, we hope that this will encourage residents to think carefully about what they are throwing away — as always, our message is reduce, re-use, recycle!'

The borough is asking residents to take on board the following points during the Christmas period:

l The amount of wrapping paper estimated to be thrown away in the UK at Christmas could stretch around the equator nine times, but gifts such as theatre and cinema tickets do not need it so you could be saving yourself money whilesaving the planet.

l Remember wrapping paper and Christmas cards can now be recycled in the green kerbside recycling boxes.

l Avoid gifts that use disposable batteries, or consider re-chargeable or solar batteries which are much cheaper in the long run.

l Many electrical shops now take batteries for recycling — they can also be taken to local amenity sites.

l 13,350 tonnes of glass is thrown out in the UK during the festive season — from champagne and sherry bottles to mincemeat and cranberry sauce jars. In terms of CO2 savings, recycling that glass would be the equivalent to taking around 1,300 cars off the road for one year or to cancelling 630 around the world flights.

l To recycle your glass jars/bottles just give them a rinse in your leftover dish washing water and place them in the green recycling box. These can also be taken to one of the many banks around the borough.

l In the UK approximately 250 tonnes of Christmas trees that could have been recycled are simply thrown out after Christmas.

l For those on the garden waste round, place your tree out on collection day. You can also take it to one of the Saturday brings sites on January 9. Alternatively, buy a living tree that can be planted in the garden.

l National research has indicated that £12 billion worth of food is thrown out every year in UK homes, which cost on average £480 per year. This increases to £680 per year for families with children. Go to http://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/southwest">www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/southwest for tips on using up festive leftovers.

Please be aware rubbish collection days may be affected over the Christmas period.

For details of these changes and recycling facilities, see local press, visit the website at http://www.westdevon.gov.uk">www.westdevon.gov.uk or call 01822 813600.