WOMEN are being encouraged to pursue careers in waste - after research revealed they are more likely to recycle rubbish than men but are underrepresented in the industry.

Yorwaste - the company owned by City of York Council and North Yorkshire County Council to run waste management - has about 300 members of staff.

Around 20 per cent of its workforce is female. Ten per cent of operational jobs - like driving the bin lorry or helping customers - are held by women and women also hold about a third of all management and supervisor roles.

Yorwaste wants to see the number of women applying for jobs at the company increase - and has set up a group called Women of Waste to showcase the variety of jobs in the industry.

As part of the initiative, the council's Hazel Court Household Waste Recycling Centre was run with an entirely female workforce for the day to demonstrate different career paths.

Kate Anderson, customer account manager based in York, said: “Women of Waste was formed to celebrate the important roles women play at Yorwaste and to showcase the variety of these roles.

“By coming together to work at Hazel Court, we want to demonstrate that the waste industry is an appropriate environment for women and one in which they feel empowered.

“The aim is also to show that companies like Yorwaste proactively support women to progress within the waste industry, with mentoring, training and a clear development path.

“And ultimately, the goal is to encourage even more women to choose a career in the waste industry.”

Emma Bagley, who is on the company's senior management team, said: “Over the last few years the company has increased the proportion of women in operational and management roles, and we would like to see this increase this even further in the coming years.

“Whether it’s helping the public at a household waste recycling centre, driving a refuse collection vehicle or working in a management role at head office, the roles for women in the waste industry are exciting and varied.”

For jobs visit yorwaste.co.uk.