Witham is set to become more eco-friendly thanks to a ground-breaking new recycling scheme.

The four-year project - expected to cost several hundred thousand pounds - is part of a major drive to reduce levels of waste.

The initiative involves Essex County Council, Braintree Council and funding bodies like the Essex Environment Trust pulling together.

At the moment Witham residents have their rubbish collected on a weekly basis and paper on fortnightly basis, resulting in eight per cent of refuse being recycled.

Now, in addition, fortnightly collections will be made of kitchen waste and other materials like plastic and tin. It is hoped this will result in 60 per cent of household waste being recycled.

According to the Government, local authorities should aim to recycle 25 per cent of all refuse collected.

David Tuthill, Essex County Council's waste manager, said: "We feel Witham is the perfect size for a scheme like this and is fairly typical of Essex as a whole.

"It is important we identify how to deal with waste in the long-term by considering costs, attitudes, levels of participation and recycling techniques."

A leaflet advertising the campaign is being distributed to households and posters are being displayed across the town. Braintree Council is even appointing an officer to promote recycling.

The county council also has a purpose-built education van which will tour primary and secondary schools.

Peter Tattersley, Braintree Council's head of environmental services, said: "Between us we have a complete list of alternative schemes which take into consideration things like efficiency and cost.

"At the end of the trial we'll be able to say which is the most effective to introduce across the district."

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.