AN improved recycling system will be introduced with money saved from controversial changes to the way household rubbish is collected.

Darlington Borough Council will bring in kerbside collections for glass, cans and paper using some of the estimated £200,000 a year being saved by the new system.

The alterations to the collections, which will affect about 5,000 of the borough's 45,000 homes, have been criticised because of the requirement to have bin bags out by 7.30am.

However, the council has reassured residents affected by the changes that this will only be for the first couple of weeks until they become accustomed to the new collection times.

After that, they can put their bags out later.

The changes, which come into force next Monday, mean dustbins can no longer be put out for emptying and only disposable containers, such as bin bags, should be used.

People living in terraced homes with back lanes will still be able to leave their bin bags in the lane and sheltered housing residents will not be affected.

However, other residents will now have to put their bin bags on the kerbside outside their homes.

Terry Collins, the council's assistant director of environmental services, said: "It's a new system so we are asking everyone to be patient.

"At present, refuse collection times for individual properties will vary throughout the day, according to where properties are located on each collection round.

"When residents become familiar with the time of collection under the new system we are asking them to put refuse out for collection as near to the collection time as possible, on the day of collection.

"However, until they become familiar with the new collection time, we ask that they make sure their refuse is deposited on the kerbside or in the back lane by 7.30am on their collection day."

The collectors go round in two teams, the first bringing bins and refuse sacks out of premises, ready for the second to load it on to wagons.

Through a mixture of redeployment, early retirement, voluntary redundancies and non-replacement of workers, the council is cutting the cost of its service by scrapping the first team.

For information on the new system call (01325) 388777.