NEW "green" wheelie bins could actually increase the amount of waste collected in normal refuse collections, councillors have warned.

The scheme to introduce a second wheelie bin to households in Craven for the collection of "green" waste is moving forward, with only the financial implications left to be approved.

However, members of Craven District Council's community services committee have warned householders they must adhere to strict regulations on what can be placed in the bin, otherwise they will contaminate the entire load, which will then have to be tipped as normal waste.

Materials which cannot be placed in the bin are meat and fish scraps, peelings, newspapers and magazines, papers, plastics, glass and other non-organic materials and large branches.

The aim is to achieve a high quality compost which will be used in agriculture and on the landfill site itself.

Coun Mike Doyle said: "We are trying to get a high quality food stock for a process which will provide high quality compost. That's why this contamination issue is vital. It is actually going to mean I have to put more into my normal bin because I don't want to contaminate it, that is what we have to get over to recycling enthusiasts."

Bins containing contaminated material will not be collected and householders will be expected to decontaminate the bin, and may have it taken away. If the contamination is not spotted before collection, then the whole load will be contaminated and tipped as per normal refuse.

Greg Robinson, head of operational services, said: "It does rely on the co-operation of the householders to keep the waste clean and use the bins properly."

Coun Carl Lis said: "This is really good news as far as this authority is concerned, not least because we have been told we have to achieve certain targets in terms of our recycling percentages."