Six thousand householders in Wrexham are set to benefit from the introduction of a �500,000 recycling scheme.

The local council is one of the worst local authorities in Wales for recycling - 97% of the area's waste goes straight to landfill sites.

Participating areas

Chirk Gresford Garden Village New Broughton/Offa Sydallt/Gwersyllt Summerhill

Now the authority is to try to catch up with other local authorities in Wales which have forged ahead with recycling.

Following the �0.5m cash injection from the Welsh Assembly, environment bosses are ploughing the money into the scheme.

The initiative called 'Recycle with Michael' will target all age groups including children.

Two recycling officers have been employed to visit local schools to urge youngsters to think about rubbish and where it goes.

Launching the scheme on Monday, Wrexham Major Rodney Skelland said: "We haven't been recycling virtually anything so this is quite a major step."

John Bradbury says recycling needs improving

Residents in the pilot areas involved in the initiative will receive new green containers to use alongside their wheelie bins.

Two plastic sacks will be used, one green for newspapers and magazines and one pink for cans, textiles and plastic bottles.

The new green bin will deal with garden rubbish and the remaining household waste will be sourced into the old wheelie container.

Glass bottles will not be collected as they are potentially dangerous for the refuse collectors.

Just 29% of waste is recycled in Wrexham and council spokesman John Bradbury admits there is room for improvement.

"We have a poor recycling record in Wrexham, we deal with 80,000 tonnes of municipal waste each year and we want to introduce separation at the kerbside."

Glass bottles wont be collected

Council Leader Shan Wilkinson added: "With co-operation a high recycling rate can be achieved."

She added: "I have had positive feedback already - a woman in my ward said the green bins are wonderful - now I can do some recycling in my own home."

'Recycle with Michael' will begin on 1 July and it is hoped other areas of the county will eventually be included in the scheme.