BURY is planning a £740,000 blitz on waste to meet tough recycling targets.

It could mean doorstep collections of garden rubbish, glass and cans being introduced across the borough to complement the paper recycling bags.

Town hall bosses are asking the Government to stump up the cash, which they say is essential if Bury is to fulfil its statutory obligations.

Ministers have set Bury's household waste recycling targets at a minimum ten per cent by 2003/04 and 18 per cent by 2005/06.

Councils which do not meet the targets will be penalised, but the borough's current recycling rate is just 5.64 per cent.

Extra collections would be piloted at 28,000 homes in the borough. If forthcoming, the Government's money would pay for four collection vehicles and all the bins and containers.

Residents would be provided with a brown wheelie bin for "green" waste (garden waste and vegetable peelings), and a blue box for glass. The bins would be emptied fortnightly.

Another major plank in the policy is the creation of 50 mini-recycling sites, similar to those in supermarket car parks. Bosses hope that the first 20 of those will be up-and-running next month.

A publicity drive will be launched to encourage more people to use the "green bag" kerbside paper collection scheme. This has collected 2,750 tonnes of paper so far, but this comprises only 22 per cent of household waste paper.

Bury is preparing its funding bid later this month, along with colleagues from other Greater Manchester local authorities. If successful, the council will have to find annual running costs of £115,000 to keep the schemes going.