Cash is being injected into new schemes to develop markets for recycled materials.

Castle Point Council has agreed to give £4,798 to the Essex Market Development Project.

The project is a joint initiative between Essex County Council, district and borough councils across the county.

The idea is to increase levels of recycling in Essex and to develop businesses that will use the recycled materials.

Members of Castle Point Council's environmental health committee agreed the scheme should be supported as there was no point in urging residents to recycle as much as possible and it not being used.

If there are no businesses around to buy the recycled materials it would end up going straight back into landfill sites which are fast becoming full up.

Tony Wright (Lab, St Mary's) said: "Ford's has started using recycled plastic to make its bumpers which used to be manufactured in Dagenham.

"Now it makes them at its plant in Swansea and it is too expensive to transport the materials there."

Alan Longford, the council's director of health and housing, said: "To support increased recycling activity it is now generally becoming recognised that some degree of work will be required sooner rather than later to develop markets for Essex's collected recyclable materials."

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