BINS to collect garden waste have been distributed to houses in Newton Aycliffe in a pilot scheme which aims to improve recycling rates.

The green waste recycling trial was introduced for 6,000 properties in Woodham village and parts of Newton Aycliffe a year ago.

It provided households with paper or biodegradable plastic bags in which to collect garden refuse.

But recent studies in other areas have shown that collections using bins have been more successful than bags.

As a result, Sedgefield Borough Council has issued brown bins to 1,200 houses in the area of the trial, which is to be extended until June next year.

Gordon Lennon, the council's technical services manager, said: "We have taken 1,200 properties off bags and given them bins. It's basically to compare the two systems.

"We will be running it until about June next year. At the end of that period we could extend it to other areas depending on how successful this has been and the available resources."

The scheme has also led the council to change its policy on collecting garden waste.

At present, householders can put their garden rubbish in wheeled bins, or arrange for a free collection.

But the scheme is being withdrawn in areas when bags or bins are provided.

Domestic bins containing green waste would be emptied the first time, but a warning sticker will be attached saying it will not be collected in future.

As part of the initial trial a questionnaire was circulated to 900 properties, of which 89 per cent said they were satisfied with the service.

The initial response to the new brown bin scheme has also been encouraging, with only 60 of the 1,200 households asking for them to be removed.

Mr Lennon said: "Some people have their own composters and some have an issue with respect to where to keep or store the bin.

"But if this were the kind of response we got borough wide, we would be more than happy with that level.

"We have got to reach certain recycling targets and this is one of the ways that will help us achieve those, along with things such as the kerbside collection scheme that we have introduced."