RESIDENTS of Chester-le-Street can do their bit for the environment following the launch of a door-to-door paper recycling scheme.

In a bid to meet Government targets of recycling 25 per cent of all household waste, Ches-ter-le-Street District Council will collect waste paper from residents' doorsteps every two weeks.

A council spokeswoman said: "One of the council's key aims is to protect, enhance and promote the environment of the district and, in doing so, to contribute towards the protection of the national and global environment.

"The council's performance in recycling is below the best in County Durham, but we aim to improve our service and achieve the Government's target of 25 per cent of household waste recycled by 2005.

"To help achieve this, we have teamed up with Foreman Recycling Ltd, which will provide the service at no cost to council tax payers."

The collection, which begins today, will collect newspapers and magazines, junk mail and cardboard packaging waste.

Leaflets have been delivered around the district to explain how the system works and when recycling waste will be collected.

For more information about the service, contact environmental services on 0191-371 1040 or Foreman Recycling on 0191-301 3464.