RECYCLING a mountain of waste from almost 80,000 homes will involve a massive technological challenge for three County Durham councils.

Wear Valley, Teesdale and Derwentside District Councils are teaming up to offer people a Green Box scheme for waste collection.

Each of the boxes will be electronically tagged with its own barcode so the authorities can monitor their recycling performance and help them to meet Government targets of ten per cent recycling next year.

The containers will take paper, card, cans and glass as well as clothing and shoes and will be scanned every time they are emptied.

The councils say the new system represents a huge technological challenge and has never been attempted before.

With specialist partners Cory Environmental, Foreman Recycling and Groundwork West Durham, the authorities are due to launch the scheme in Bishop Auckland on Saturday, December 7. They will start delivering the 55-litre boxes in January.

A delay in receiving a £700,000 grant from the Government's Waste Minimisation and Recycling Fund has already put the project three-months behind schedule, and companies supplying the boxes have been working flat out to meet a sudden increase in demand.

Residents of all three districts will be sent a calendar highlighting fortnightly pick-up dates, which will coincide with their normal rubbish collection service.