A Lancashire Euro MP has criticised new rules which he claims will lead to thousands of tons of compost going to landfill sites rather than gardens and lawns and said: "What a load of rot."

Former Rossendale MP and now Conservative deputy leader in the European Parliament, Sir Robert Atkins, said until recently once green waste had been shredded, composted and screened it was classified as 'product' and could be bagged and sold in bulk.

However, recent changes now say the material is still waste and cannot be moved without significant additional paperwork.

A gardener would now require three separate permits to store, transport and use the compost, he claims.

Sir Robert said: "With costs set to spiral for compost processors, it is almost certain a vast amount of composted waste will go to landfill instead.

"As green waste represents around 50 percent of the annual recycling tonnage, many councils' recycling figures will effectively be cut in half at a time when the European Commission is already threatening the UK government with fines of up to £180 million for its failure to significantly reduce the amount of waste going to landfill."

He added: "Compost is a harmless soil improver used on gardens, allotments and farms across the UK.

"Government regulation will make it prohibitive for companies to produce compost and so tonnes of green waste will end up going to landfill."