EAST Lancashire residents are recycling more of their glass bottles and jars than ever before.

But there is still room for improvement, according to organisers of National Glass Week later this month.

Figures for 2000 released by organisers of the week which promotes recycling, show Blackburn residents were less likely to visit their nearest bottle bank than their Ribble Valley counterparts.

The figures for 2,000, show that although there were five bottle banks in the Blackburn with Darwen area provided by the borough council, the authority collected 1.67kg per person during the year.

This year's figures, released in February this year, show the council recycled 3kgs per person.

In the Ribble Valley, where there were six bottle banks supplied by the borough council, a total of 6.39kg per person was collected during 2000.

In Burnley, collections were 3.23kg per person from the 13 bottle banks.

In Rossendale, 4.94kg was collected per person from nine bottle banks and in Pendle 5.26kg per person was collected from 25 bottle banks, while in Hyndburn 3.04kg per person was collected from nine bottle banks.

Peter McGeorge, waste management officer for Ribble Valley Borough Council, said: "We can only provide the facilities and hope that the communities use them.

"These figures show the desire and the demand from the public for this type of facility. The credit should really go to the local people, because it is down to their efforts.

"We listen to them and see whether we have the right facilities for them."