MORE materials than ever can now be placed in the council s wheelie bins for recycling. A selection of clean plastics and clean foil can now be placed in the green lidded bins for recycling. The eligible plastics include margarine tubs, yoghurt pots, sand

MORE materials than ever can now be placed in the council's wheelie bins for recycling.

A selection of clean plastics and clean foil can now be placed in the green lidded bins for recycling.

The eligible plastics include margarine tubs, yoghurt pots, sandwich packs, plastic carrier bags and fruit and vegetable punnets.

Foil items that can be recycled include ready-meal and take-away food containers, party platters, kitchen foul and meals-on-wheels containers.

All items placed in the bin must be clean and free from food waste - if an item cannot be cleaned, it should be discarded in the non-recyclables bin.

Any recyclables that cannot fit in the bin should be left beside it in tied carrier bags or cardboard boxes. Items in black plastic bin bags will not be collected.

The increase in the items eligible for recycling comes with the news from the district council that monthly recycling rates have gone from 23 per cent to more than 50 per cent since the introduction of the wheelie bin system.

Diane Burridge, UDC director of operations, said: "I am pleased to announce with immediate effect an expanded list of materials, which can now go into your green-lidded dry recycling bin - and there is no need for folk to look for the numbers in the recycling triangle on packaging as UDC can now accept it all.

"All of our dry recycling continues to be transported by UDC to Braintree but its onward destination will now either be Tilbury or Norwich to be sorted and sold.

"UDC is looking forward to even better recycling rates in the district and be assured UDC will strive to seek out new ways to reduce further the amount of waste going to landfill."

The council will be putting notices on bins in the district clarifying the new recycling options in the coming weeks.

More information can be found on the recycling section of its website at www.uttlesford.gov.uk