RESIDENTS have given their support to plans to increase the amount of waste recycled in their area.

The York and North Yorkshire Waste Management Partnership has conducted a county-wide survey to gauge opinions about the content of a joint waste strategy.

The results showed that 82 per cent of respondents supported the partnership's vision to meet the community's waste needs and deliver a cost-effective service.

Almost three quarters of those who responded agreed that the target to produce less waste per head than the average for England and Wales by 2008 and to be among the best by 2013 was fair.

Overall, residents said that the one thing that would help them recycle more would be for councils to collect a wider range of recyclable waste from their home.

Opinion was split about the best way to deal with left-over waste. Forty-three per cent said it should be sent to incinerators, while 52 per cent said it should be pre-treated to recover more recyclable materials.

Partnership chairman, Councillor Clare Wood, said: "It is extremely comforting to know that there is extensive support for maximising recycling across the partnership."