Kerbside recycling has been officially launched for the rural areas of Chelmsford by Countryfile star John Craven.
But the launch came just days after Chelmsford's new administration announced plans to review the entire refuse collection service in the borough.
The rural scheme, which began last month, enables 18,000 households across village and rural areas to reduce the amount of rubbish going to landfill.
Chelmsford is one of only a handful in the UK to offer this type of service to rural areas.
It is being funded by a government grant, allowing the council to buy four new recycling vehicles and employ nine new staff.
Launching the scheme, Mr Craven said: "I have seen the devastation on the countryside caused by the careless disposal of rubbish.
"Recycling is vital in rural areas if we are going to stem the tide of rubbish going to landfill - doing untold damage to the environment."
Chelmsford Borough Council chief executive Martin Easteal said including the rural communities in recycling meant the council would meet its statutory target of recycling 18 per cent of waste earlier than the 2003 deadline.
Rural householders now have a brown wheeled bin, a white bag for cardboard, a green box for cans and glass and a white bag for paper.
Published Tuesday, May 20, 2003
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