Borough's homes to get blue bins

Thousands more homes in Sandwell are to be given special blue wheelie bins to recycle household rubbish.

Half a million pounds is being spent on expanding Sandwell Council's existing scheme.

It means that more than half of residents in the borough will be able to recycle plastic and cardboard within eight weeks.

All residents should have the bins by next April. The council says the scheme has saved taxpayers £1m on landfill tax in the past year.

Neighbourhoods boss Councillor Mahboob Hussain said: "Originally the plan was that by 2012 everyone will be able to recycle cardboard and plastic.

"However, because the pilot in Great Barr, Bearwood and Tividale has been so successful it will be extended to Dudley Port, Tipton and part of Friar Park within the next eight weeks.

"Six years ago we had one of the lowest recycling rates in the region of just 10 per cent. The latest figures are showing that we are hitting 33 per cent."

The bins, which are collected every fortnight, have replaced weekly green-box collections and enable people to recycle papers, cans, glass bottles and jars, as well as cardboard, drinks cartons, plastic bottles, plastic trays and other food containers.