A NEW recycling initiative will be launched across Hambleton at the end of this month.

Kerbside collections of waste paper will come to more than 19,000 homes in the district from April 29 after a successful pilot scheme in Thirsk.

Residents will be asked to place unwanted newspapers and magazines into reusable blue plastic sacks.

They will be emptied once a fortnight and the waste taken to Middleham, where it will be shredded and used as high quality animal bedding.

The new collection is being introduced following the Thirsk scheme, which has seen more than 82 tonnes of paper taken from 1,000 homes over the past year.

Councillors hope the scheme will help Hambleton meet challenging new Government recycling targets. Sixteen per cent of all household waste must be recycled by 2003, rising to 24 per cent by 2005, but only 8.3 per cent of waste is currently put through that process.

Environmental health spokesman, Councillor Arthur Barker, said: "It is vital that we reduce the amount of waste being sent to landfill and with the cooperation of our residents we can do that.

"This is just one of a number of measures being looked at by the authority to ensure we meet our recycling targets."

More than 7,800 homes in Northallerton, 2,800 in Thirsk and Sowerby, 1,900 in Easingwold, 2,200 in Bedale and Aiskew, 2,000 in Stokesley and 2,100 in Great Ayton will be included in the scheme, along with some villages along the route.

Collection calendars and reusable plastic bags will be delivered to all participating households from April 22, with first collections on April 29. Residents will be asked to put the bag as close to the kerb as possible from 7.30am on collection days.