MAJOR recycling scheme is being expanded to deal with empty aerosol cans.

Residents in the Darlington borough can now put the cans in their green recycling boxes, which are collected fortnightly. Aerosols should be empty and placed in the green box intact.

The metal in the empty aerosols will be recycled and re-used via the John Wade Recycling plant in Newton Aycliffe, and John Foreman Recycling in Spennymoor.

The borough council's kerbside recycling scheme was launched in September last year.

It has so far collected 1,000 tonnes of glass, 200 tonnes of steel and aluminium cans, 50 tonnes of plastic bottles and 25 tonnes of textiles and clothing.