A TEAM of waste-busters is hitting the roads to persuade more people to recycle their waste.

Durham County Council's waste recycling team is promoting the Kerb It recycling scheme among passengers using buses leaving Durham and Peterlee bus stations.

Twice a week, they have been joining passengers on routes to towns and villages in the county including Brandon, Ushaw Moor, Esh Winning, Hutton Henry, Seaham and Easington Village, giving advice and information about the scheme.

The team has spoken to about 350 people, and the promotion is to be extended until Thursday, June 21, to include Bishop Auckland bus station. The campaign also includes bus advertising and roadshows at supermarkets, shopping and leisure centres, libraries and community events.

A leaflet has been delivered to 141,000 households and Durham University students are also being targeted.

Information gained from the campaign in the four Kerb It districts of Chester-le-Street, Easington, Durham City and Sedgefield, will be used to try to improve the scheme, which is provided by contractor Premier Waste Management.

The county council, and its district Kerb It partners, received £250,000 to raise awareness of kerbside recycling from the Government's Waste Resource Action Programme.