A SEARCH has been launched for volunteer recycling ‘champions’.

Bradford Council is looking to recruit people across the district to spread the reuse message.

The initiative has been launched to coincide with National Recycle Week.

Anyone over 18, interested in environmental issues, could become a champion.

They would attend a briefing meeting, promote recycling to others and be prepared to answer questions on the issue.

According to research from Recycle Now, doing their bit for the environment is one of the primary motivations for people recycling.

However, over three quarters of UK households add one or more items to their recycling collection that are not accepted locally.

And over half put at least one item in the general rubbish that could be recycled.

Currently in Bradford district, about 40 per cent of the total contents collected from residents’ recycling bins is contaminated and cannot be recycled.

Councillor Sarah Ferriby, the council’s executive member for healthy people and places, said: “Whilst our recycling rates at the kerbside have continued to increase, many people are still putting the wrong things in the wrong bins, which leads to recycling loads being contaminated with materials which can’t be recycled.

“Volunteering to become a recycling champion will help us get information out to residents who want to know more about what they can and can’t put in their recycling bins.

“This will help reduce the amount of waste that is being put in the wrong bin and increase the amount of recycling.”

To register interest in becoming a recycling champion, e-mail council.contact@bradford.gov.uk – putting Recycling Champions in the subject bar – or for further information call the council recycling team on 01274 434284.