RESIDENTS could soon be encouraged to go green with their household rubbish and compost and sift waste instead of just binning it.

Rossendale Council is still waiting to find out if a bid for funding from the Lancashire Environmental Fund has been successful.

Currently only 7.06 per cent of waste is recycled, but the council must achieve ten per cent by 2003/4 and 18 per cent by 2005/6.

A three-pronged approach is proposed combining education, home composting, composting and recycling.

The recycling will involve two trial areas with alternative weekly doorstep collection of domestic waste and recyclables from 13,000 properties.

The waste paper collection will be extended to a further 6,000 properties and a doorstep collection of green waste will be introduced to 13,000 properties.

Six area will be targeted and composters and wormeries will be introduced across the borough in addition communities will be consulted about establishing community based sites for composting.

All 39 schools in the Valley will be targeted and the campaign will be led by a recycling project manager and a part-time education officer.

Members of the development and environmental services committee will discuss the report tonight.