DARLINGTON Borough Council has been accused of not doing enough to help local businesses recycle their waste.

Mike Barker, who runs a health food shop in the town centre and is a member of the council's Liberal Democrat group, said the town's traders are not able to do their bit to help the environment because they are banned from taking excess packaging to the council's recycling centre.

The council offers a weekly recycling pick-up service for local residents, but Councillor Barker said the town will not truly become green unless businesses are included.

"Many traders are keen to do their bit to take part in the greening' of Darlington, but the facilities are not there for us," he said.

"With no access to the Whessoe Road recycling site and no kerbside recycling collections, businesses in Darlington - and especially retailers in the town centre - have no means of recycling the huge amounts of cardboard, packaging and food waste which we generate.

"Business wants to be part of the green agenda, but this council does nothing to help us."

Traders in Darlington's indoor market have access to cardboard compactors, so they can recycle their excess packaging.

Coun Barker said other retailers in the town should be given access to the facilities, so they, too, can minimise the amount of waste going to landfill.

"Virtually all their waste is recycled, so why can't independent businesses in the town centre have access to this facility too?

"At the moment, everything we throw out gets taken away by lorries and thrown on the landfill.

"It is such a waste and it could easily be avoided."

A spokeswoman for the council said the authority is considering offering recycling services to traders during a trial period.

"Darlington Borough Council will be piloting a recycling scheme for businesses towards the end of this year," she said.

"Businesses have to pay for waste to be taken away, whether it is by the council, or another registered waste carrier, some do operate recycling schemes."