RUBBISH could be collected for recycling from the doorsteps of two-thirds of York homes by June.

City of York Council chiefs are aiming to offer the service to 60,000 homes, an increase of 20,000.

They are striving to meet government targets to recycle more than 12 per cent of household waste by next year, and 18 per cent two years later.

Each house would get a plastic box to hold waste including glass bottles, jars, food tins and drink cans. Newspapers would be put in a plastic wallet.

The rubbish would be collected every two weeks with regular waste, and taken to a recycling depot in Hessay.

Homes already taking part in the recycling scheme collected 1,558 tonnes of waste between May last year and last month.

Kristy Walton, the council's waste strategy development manager, said: "The amount of household rubbish produced is growing by three per cent each year.

"The city must move away from the disposal of waste, minimise the amount produced and maximise the amount of waste that is reused and recycled."

Doorstep recycling already operating in the city has been well received by residents, she said.

"Eighty-two per cent have said they would be willing to separate out items for a kerbside collection from their home," she said.

"In a questionnaire in January 2003, 89 per cent of respondents said that they support or strongly support extending the kerbside recycling service to 75 per cent of households in York."

Residents who will be part of the extension will be sent information about the scheme.

It is yet to be decided where the scheme will be extended to, but it is hoped it could be in place by June.

The council's executive member for planning, Councillor Derek Smallwood, will discuss the plans on Tuesday.

Updated: 09:51 Thursday, March 27, 2003