RESIDENTS in Wearside are being urged to build on the success of a recycling project.

The Kerb-it recycling scheme has been a success in Sunderland, and staff are hoping for a bumper start to 2004.

Wearsiders are being asked to put aside their extra empty bottles, cans and waste paper from the festive season, ready for recycling.

Councillor Ian Galbraith said: "There has been a great response to Kerb-it so far. This time last year we didn't even have a collection service, but we've already saved many thousands of tonnes of rubbish from the landfill sites.

"With all the parties coming up, New Year is an ideal time to do even more recycling.

"Don't worry if your box is full, extra bottles, cans and paper can be placed in carrier bags alongside the recycling box for the Kerb-it collection."

Christmas cards and wrapping paper cannot be recycled because many contain metal foils and plastics, but Premier Waste Management, which runs the city collection scheme, hopes to be able to take them next year.

Director Gary Whitehead said that paper recycling firms were working on the problem.

"In the meantime there are a number of special card and wrapping paper recycling schemes run by councils and by companies such as Tesco and WH Smith, so householders should look out for details," he said.

Kerb-it has distributed 450,000 recycling boxes to homes throughout the North-East, which are picked up once a month.

The contents are sent to recycling companies to be turned into new products.

Mr Whitehead said: "It's kinder to the environment and it saves precious natural resources."