Recycling trial on the way

LEWES District Council has given its blessing in principle to two trial kerbside recycling schemes in Newhaven and Lewes.

If they are successful, the schemes will be spread across the district.

Furniture Now will run the Lewes scheme and the council s contracts work group will operate on the coastal strip.

The service will initially offer up to 6,000 households in Lewes and every household in Newhaven a fortnightly collection of paper, cans and plastics.

Each household will receive two recycling boxes with lids. The plastic and cans will be separated by the collectors.

The rest of the refuse will be collected in the normal way.

The trial run could start on March 1 next year and may widen its field of operation as soon as it is found to be successful.

The council at the moment recycles only 9.45 per cent of household refuse. It hopes to double that to 18 per cent by 2003.