THE humble, black plastic bin bag could soon become a thing of the past in Teesdale.

Government legislation on waste management targets have forced the district council into a re-think over how it collects household rubbish.

As a result, the council is proposing to drop its system of supplying bin bags to each home in favour of wheelie bins.

Alf Wilkinson, technical and contract services manager, told a meeting of Teesdale District Parish Forum on Monday that the present system was no longer suitable.

He said: "We currently give away 1.2 million black bin bags a year and we need to take the service on if we are going to meet new targets on dealing with waste.

"We need a fully integrated mechanical system to take us through the next 15-20 years."

Mr Wilkinson added that the mechanical system was more efficient and safer for operatives, who often faced hazards such as broken glass, needles and animal faeces in bin bags.

He said the green wheeled bins, which came in various sizes, would definitely be introduced in Teesdale, the only question was how to "manage them in".

The chairman of the forum, Coun Newton Wood, agreed.

He said: "We don't have an option because of the legislation about how we deal with waste. At the moment, nobody knows how it's going to work and people want to know how it's going to affect them.

"The question is how are we going to get our residents to use them when there may be difficulties."

Several parish councillors asked how the wheeled bin system would work in very rural areas. Mr Wilkinson said if there were severe difficulties, black bags could remain in operation in certain cases.

"Where the bins are not suitable, we've got to find an alternative and that may well be bags," he said.

There would be a number of public meetings on the subject in the summer.

Coun Rob Green, from Ovington, welcomed the news that wheeled bins would not be forced on everyone.

He said: "I'm delighted that you are going to be sensible and allow some people to still have black bags. Hopefully, common sense will prevail."

When asked if garden waste would be permitted in the wheeled bins, Mr Wilkinson said it would not.

He added: "We do not collect garden waste at the moment and we should discourage anybody from putting it in the wheeled bins."