WASTE experts in the North-East are hoping a national campaign launched this week will boost recycling efforts in the region.

The Big Recycle, launched by WRAP, the Government-backed Waste and Resources Campaign today will see an extensive advertising and media campaign across the country.

Premier Waste Management, the Durham company that runs the Kerb-it kerbside recycling scheme for seven councils in the region, has backed the campaign, which aims to encourage householders to recycle even more.

Director Gary Whitehead said: "Householders throughout the region should now have a kerbside collection service which makes recycling easier than it ever has been. Recycling our waste makes great sense from so many points of view.

"It saves precious resources such as paper, glass, steel and aluminium, it reduces the amount we bury at landfill sites and it will help make the world a better place for future generations."

The company, which runs the Kerb-it scheme in Gateshead, South Tyneside, Sunderland, Easington, Chester-le-Street, Sedgefield and Durham City, has pledged to give £1 to charities and good causes for every tonne of waste collected.

This is expected to raise about £30,000 a year for the region - and £10,000 has already been presented to the life-saving Great North Air Ambulance Service.

More than 28 million tonnes of household rubbish is thrown away in Britain each year.

Britain has one of the worst recycling records in Europe and the North-East used to be one of the worst regions for reycling in the country - but introduction of kerbside recycling is said to be changing things.