The bid to boost recycling in Bradford has taken another step forward with the introduction of new glass and can recycling bins in the district.

Bradford Council this week began distributing 15,000 wheelie bins throughout the district which are exclusively for recycling glass and metal cans.

The new bins will allow Bradford Council to collect around ten tonnes of glass and cans per day as Bradford drives towards increasing the amount of waste it recycles.

The Council has set itself a target of recycling 2,000 tonnes of glass and metal annually.

Gerry McDermot, recycling officer at Bradford Council, said: "We already get a lot of people who recycle bottles and cans at their local recycling centres and more than 850,000 bottles are collected at those sites each month. Now we hope the extension of kerbside collections into these areas will encourage even more people to recycle at home."

So far, 12,000 volunteers have requested one of the bins from the Council.

The news comes as the Telegraph & Argus Bin It for Bradford campaign celebrated its first anniversary last week.

One of the campaign's main aims is to promote more efficient recycling of the city's waste.

The bins are being distributed this week in parts of Low Moor, Wyke and Odsal Top, with more than 2,500 expected to have been delivered by the end of this week.

Bradford's recycling drive received a further boost last week after sales of recycling composting bins moved past the 6,500 mark during last week's Big Recycle Week.

According to Environment Agency figures, organic waste makes up 20 per cent of the rubbish we throw away annually. Glass and metal make up a further 17 per cent.

The next few years are due to see increases of more than 50 per cent in landfill site tax.

Bradford is struggling to meet stiff Government targets for recycling due to come in force by 2006 which state the district must be recycling 24 per cent of its waste. Currently it is recycling closer to 14 per cent.

To request one of the glass and can recycling bins, telephone the recycling office on (01274) 428883.