ONE of the first community recycling schemes of its kind in the country will be launched in Pendle next month.

The innovative scheme to cut household waste will be introduced in Earby and Reedley, where 2,000 homes will be provided with free compost bins and different coloured bags for regular collections of cans and paper.

The REAP (Recycling Environmental Action in Pendle) project is one of the first community-based waste management schemes to be financed by an environmental fund established from the proceeds of landfill tax.

The Lancashire Environmental Fund (LEF) has given Pendle Council a £75,000 grant to run the scheme and the authority has chipped in a further £54,000 to buy bins and bags. The cost of the collections will be met by LEF and not from council coffers.

REAP co-ordinator, Victor Bennett, will oversee the project which is set to run for at least 12 months.

"The council, like other authorities, is under a legal obligation to meet very stiff targets for the reduction of household waste," he explained. "We believe that this scheme is a first but significant step in our attempts to meet these targets.

"Reducing waste also cuts the council's bill for landfill which is obviously important for the environment but also places less demand on the council's finances."

Council staff will keep a close eye on the amount of waste collected while the scheme is under way to judge how successful the project is. The aim is to encourage householders to recycle items such as cans and waste paper and use other biodegradable waste as compost, cutting the amount of rubbish they leave to be collected by refuse collectors.

"This scheme will be eagerly watched by neighbouring authorities in East Lancashire who may wish to adopt something similar," said Mr Bennett, whose post is being funded by environmental charity Groundwork East Lancashire.

He met members of the council's waste management group yesterday in Earby and Reedley to promote the project. Full details about the REAP scheme will be sent to householders in the two areas shortly. The scheme will be formally launched during Brierfield and Reedley Gala on August 1 and there will be "roadshows" on composting on August 14 at Reedley Primary School and August 21 at Earby Community Centre.

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