Local authorities, currently getting to grips with a fridge mountain caused by European recycling directives, are now facing the prospect of dealing with stockpiles of unwanted televisions, toasters and vacuum cleaners.

A new European directive will mean that 75 per cent of virtually all electrical goods must be recycled instead of being transported to landfill sites.

Fears are growing that the North-East, which is only just getting on top of its "fridge mountain", will have too many worn-out electrical appliances to deal with.

Durham County Council had to spend almost a third of a million pounds transporting old fridges to Europe for recycling earlier this year.

Through the country, a million fridges were stockpiled in warehouses and fields earlier this year.

The problem could begin as soon as next month, when another set of new laws orders that old TV sets must be treated as hazardous waste and put in special disposal sites.

Peter Jones, a director of development at Biffa Waste Services, told the Times: "If you thought the fridges were bad, you wait until all these other things come through."

A spokesman for Durham County Council said the most of its massive stockpile of fridges had been shipped to Europe for recycling now, at a cost of more than £300,000.

He said: "We will be calling on the government to make sure all the necessary arrangements are in place before any more such schemes are implemented."

But a spokeswoman for the Department for Trade and Industry said trade associations, manufacturers and recyclers were consulted when the guidelines were prepared and were ready for the impact.

Councillor Brian Hogg, lead member for Environment on Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, said his authority had a similar problem.

"We see a problem with all electrical goods, anything from TVs to musical appliances," he said.

The council had been set to charge people £30 to take away electrical goods, because it was costing £30,000 a year, but it has postponed the decision until August.

TVs will be treated as hazardous waste because of their lead and phosphorous content and will need to be collected by licensed operators and dropped off in hazardous waste tips, it is being claimed.

Currently the two million sets thrown away every year are sent to landfill sites.