RECYCLING across County Durham has increased by 13 per cent, thanks to a Government scheme aimed at schools.

The Recycling for Schools initiative worked by giving primary schoolchildren points for collecting pledges to recycle.

Each school could then use the points their pupils collected to exchange for items such as computer and music equipment.

The initiative was one of a number of projects organised across the country by the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs.

Environment Minister Ben Bradshaw said: "We've trebled recycling since 1997, but we're going to have to do much better if we are to tackle climate change and avoid huge fines for breaking European landfill limits.

A spokesman for Sedgefield Borough Council said: "We were proud to be involved in the project, which was both popular with residents and contributed to valuable national research.

"Over the period when the Recycle for Schools scheme was running, there were also a number of other recycling promotions taking place in County Durham.

"These included road shows, door-to-door canvassing initiatives, leaflet drops, schools presentations, bus advertising, and a countywide poster campaign.

"Tonnage collected by Sedgefield council's Kerb-it recycling scheme increased by more than 17 per cent in 2005 and 2006, and this was the major reason behind the borough's overall recycling rate reaching 20 per."

cent for the first time."

"We are all going to have to change our behaviour radically, and these incentive schemes show it's possible."