FOUR councils in North Yorkshire could gain as much as £4m from a new recycling contract.

Northallerton-based waste management and recycling company, Yorwaste, has been awarded responsibility for collecting kerbside waste from across much of North Yorkshire for the next three years.

A joint contract was awarded to the company by four councils; Hambleton, Harrogate, Richmondshire and Craven. By consolidating their services and entering into a single contract with Yorwaste, each district council will see its income from recycling increase by potentially as much as £386,000 per year.

Annually, the authorities collect more than 31,000 tonnes of glass, cans, cards and paper.

Councillor Jane Parlour, green living spokeswoman for Richmondshire District Council, said communities should see the benefits of the extra cash generated for councils.

"This scheme sees both the community and the environment benefit – we can recycle more so less goes to landfill,” she said.

“And we earn more, which we can then pass back to the community in the form of other initiatives.

"We hope that in time other North Yorkshire councils will join this partnership making it even more cost effective."

Steve Grieve, managing director of Yorwaste said the company intends to explore other materials that can be recycled in the future.

For Hambleton and Richmondshire households, it should mean they will be able to start recycling cardboard and additional varieties of plastic containers from their household bins. Currently paper, glass, cans and plastic bottles are collected fortnightly in blue boxes and bags.

Yorwaste has guaranteed the price the councils can expect for the next three years and will also look after the destination market for the materials.

In addition, the company has said it will take on responsibility for materials from public recycling facilities in villages and towns.

Hambleton cabinet member, councillor Brian Phillips said: “By working in partnership we have been able to get the best price possible for the glass, cans, paper and plastics collected from our kerbside recycling schemes.

“And it may mean we can increase the products we pick up from the householders - something we have been asked to look at by our residents for some time.

“Councillors and officers are currently looking into possible expansion of the scheme.”