FAILURE to change to fortnightly collections of bins could cost Richmondshire council tax payers up to £300,000 extra a year, officials have said.

The district council says it cannot meet tough targets on reducing landfill rubbish without introducing the system, with recyclable waste collected one week and non-recyclable the next.

If the authority fails to divert sufficient waste from landfill, it could be fined an estimated £100,000 to £300,000 under the Government's landfill allowance trading scheme and North Yorkshire County Council could take over the service.

The arrangements should also boost recycling in Richmondshire, which already exceeds Government targets.

Sean Little, head of environmental protection at the district council, said authorities that introduced alternate weekly collections, including Hambleton, Scarborough and Ryedale, saw recycling increase by ten to 15 per cent.

"If all we did was to increase our recycling efforts across the district, we would hit about 28 per cent," he said. "To avoid landfill allowance trading scheme penalties, we need to hit 38 per cent."

Households will get 240-litre wheelie bins in September and the collections start on October 16.

Special arrangements will be made for people unable to cope with the larger bins and households of six or more will receive 360-litre bins.

Properties change to the schedule only after receiving a kerbside recycling collection. Weekly collection of commercial waste will continue.

Critics say fortnightly collection of non-recyclable rubbish will lead to smelly or overflowing bins. The council will issue instructions on dealing with potentially smelly waste, such as double wrapping food scraps.

A campaign to persuade parents to switch from disposable to environmentally-friendly terry nappies will also run.

Councillor Stuart Parsons, chairman of the council's environment committee, said: "I wasn't keen at first but I did my own test at home and I found that I really wasn't recycling enough," he said.

"I have cut the amount of rubbish going into the bin by a third and I now support the alternate weekly collections, although I recognise that some people will need extra help with it."

Angry traders burn rubbish

BUSINESSES people say they are having to burn their rubbish or face days of stinking bins after their waste collection day was changed.

Traders at Hawes, in Wensleydale, are angry that Richmondshire District Council, which used to collect domestic and trade waste together, now has separate bin days.

Commercial rubbish used to be removed on Mondays but is now collected on Thursdays.

Grocery warehouse, The Good Life, attracted complaints after it burned waste.

Owner Jackie Johnstone said wood, card and non-toxic waste had been burned, but not plastics.

Manager Mark Williams said the company was keen to recycle as much as possible but the council refused to take away cardboard and other recyclable items. He said: "The council basically wants us to pay for another commercial waste bin but that would be an extra £500 a year," he said.

Reg Fagg, who runs The Chippy fish and chip shop, said Fridays and weekends were his busiest time and bags of waste smelled so badly by midweek that he had to take them away.

"The service was brilliant for 20-odd years until the council changed it," he said.

Sean Little, of the council's environment unit, said the changes were made in May to comply with legal demands.

"The cost of removing commercial waste is not covered by non-domestic rates and businesses pay separately for it," said Mr Little.