ALMOST 10,000 Ford Fiestas, or at least their equivalent weight in waste, have been composted in Selby.

New figures released show that people who use Selby District Council's garden greens service have composted more than 15,000 tonnes of waste since the scheme started - that's the same weight as nearly 10,000 cars.

Under the scheme, garden greens waste is collected from the doorsteps of 26,000 properties across the Selby district, made into compost and used by a number of farmers in the region on their land - therefore helping to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill, as well as helping the local rural community and economy. The scheme started as a pilot project in 2001 serving just over 2,000 properties. It has proved so successful that it has been rolled out across many areas of the district, with plans for it to soon cover every suitable property.

Chairman of the district council's environment board, Chris Metcalfe, said: "As many residents will know, Selby District Council offers a comprehensive range of doorstep recycling services and the garden greens collections form part of this.

"Over the summer we have seen more garden greens waste collected than ever before and we're really pleased to announce that residents have composted over 15,000 tonnes of garden greens materials since the scheme started. It's a great achievement.

"One of our key priorities remains the development of recycling and waste services that enable households to reduce the amount of material thrown into landfill sites by offering easy to use kerbside collections. We feel this is a really important issue for everyone in the Selby district. Not only does recycling help to protect the North Yorkshire countryside for future generations, but it also saves all taxpayers' money, as local authorities are charged more and more for any waste they dump in landfill sites."

The district council will be charged £24 for every tonne of material sent to landfill this year, rising to £32 per tonne next year, and further increases are expected in the future.

Last year, nearly 27,000 tonnes of material was sent to landfill, compared with just under 12,000 tonnes of material recycled or composted by the district's residents. Further information about the garden greens services and areas covered by the scheme can be found on the district council's website, www.selby.gov.uk, or by phoning the environmental services team on 01757 292225.