YOUNGSTERS who are supporting efforts to reduce waste and increase recycling are being taken on a tour of a £1m research facility today.

Members of the Investing in Children environmental team are to be shown around the aerobic digestion plant at Thornley, to see how the battle against waste is being fought in County Durham.

Opened by the Prime Minister last summer, the plant is owned by the County Durham Environmental Trust and is operated by Premier Waste Management . The plant is under under the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme.

Although it is only functioning as a small-scale research facility, the plant can transform 5,000 tonnes of unsegregated household waste a year into compost and recyclable by-products, such as aluminium, steel, glass and plastics.

Durham County Council's sustainability group chairman, Councillor Joe Armstrong, invited the youngsters to visit the plant after they showed an interest in the authority's efforts to reduce the number of plastic carrier bags in circulation.

He said: "I was very impressed by their environmental concerns and their wish to see waste production go down and recycling go up.

"I have asked them to become involved in our efforts to persuade people to use fewer plastic carrier bags, and they are currently working on publicity material we will be using as part of our campaign later this summer."

County Durham Environmental Trust chairman John Wearmouth said: " The technologies used at the aerobic digester plant have the potential to recycle houeshold waste everywhere and we are extremely keen for future generations to understand and be aware of the work that is being done to increase recycling."