A FURTHER funding boost has been announced for recycling projects in the region.

Environment Minister Elliot Morley said yesterday that North Yorkshire County Council was being awarded £422,976 to help create a household waste recycling centre in Whitby.

The site is expected to recycle 50 per cent of all the waste it receives, making it among the best-performing in the country.

The money comes from the Government's National Waste Minimisation and Recycling Fund, from which several authorities have benefited.

Councils can bid for money to support initiatives. Last year, a number of the region's authorities received more than £2.5m.

These included Sunderland City Council and Darlington Borough Council, which received £879,500 and £536,000 respectively to provide kerbside recycling.

Stockton Borough Council won £594,468 to extend recycling collections and to provide a waste education scheme, while smaller grants were handed out to Hartlepool and Sedgefield Borough Council.

Earlier this month, authorities across the North were invited to bid for a share of a further £135m, to be made available for sustainable waste management initiatives.

Mr Morley said: "We recognise the scale of the waste problem nationwide, and schemes which help people reduce the amount of rubbish they produce or boost recycling rates are to be applauded."