New ways to dispose of Scotland's used fridge mountain are to be developed with the help of a �3m government hand-out.

The money will be shared between the 32 councils with the aim of finding safe methods of getting rid of fridges and other appliances containing chloroflurocarbons (CFCs).

The Scottish Exective estimates that some 220,000 fridges are discarded each year.

The environmental pressure group, Friends of the Earth, welcomed the money but said more companies needed to be involved to ensure processing plants are built to deal with the problem.

Ozone depleting substances within fridges and freezers pose significant threats to our environment

Ross Finnie Environment Minister

Environment and Rural Development Minister Ross Finnie said the �3m would help local authorities with the costs arising from new regulations on the disposal of appliances containing CFCs.

"The executive is committed to making Scotland cleaner, greener and safer.

"Ozone depleting substances within fridges and freezers pose significant threats to our environment," he went on.

"It is critical, therefore, that obsolete appliances are disposed of safely."

Worldwide issue

Mr Finnie said that safe disposal of items containing CFCs was a global problem.

"The executive is working in partnership to meet its obligations under European environmental regulations."

Kevin Dunion, chief executive of Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: "The executive should also be working with local enterprise companies and Scottish business to ensure that we build processing plants in Scotland to tackle the fridge mountain.

"If the executive fails to do this we will lose out on the job opportunities presented."

The cash is in addition to �1.69m pledged by the executive in March.