Residents across North Yorkshire have been talking rubbish recently, or more precisely, about how more of it can be recycled rather than ending up in landfill.

The North Yorkshire Waste Management Partnership has conducted a County-wide survey to gauge opinions about the content of a new strategy to deal with waste and recycling.

The Partnership, which comprises North Yorkshire County Council, York City Council and the seven district and borough councils, provides waste collection and disposal services for residents across the county.

The survey does to show that most residents back the Partnerships plans for recycling with 82 per cent of those questioned saying they supported the idea of working with the community in enabling North Yorkshire to meet its waste needs and recycling targets.

Over a quarter (27%) of respondants did say that the cost of recycling schemes should be a 'very' or 'exremely' important factor. Another 32 per cent felt that cost was 'important', whilst 41 per cent stated that cost was 'not' or only 'quite' important.

In what could be a blow to those who see increased funding as the only way to increase recycling, the Partnership is saying that "these views will be important in future decisions on how much money will be invested in recycling schemes".

The overall message however is encouraging, with 82 per cent of respondents supporting the aim of reducing, re-using and recycling waste.

Almost three quarters of those who responded (73%) agreed that the target to produce less waste per head than the average for England and Wales by 2008 and to be amongst the best by 2013 is fair and described it as 'challenging'.

The partnersdhip views the rsponse as positive and an endorsement of its aim to recycle up to 50 per cent of household waste by 2010.

The survey pointed out residents' concern that local authority's should do more to help them recycle by collecting a wider range of recyclable waste from their home, and that they wished to recycle as much as they could.

Despite tough Government tragets being laid down for recycling the option is simply not there for many housholds living in rural communities, unlesss they decide to take waste paper, cans and glass to collection points located in urban centres.

Councillor Clare Wood, the County Council's executive member for waste and chair of the York and North Yorkshire Waste Management Partnership, said; "It is extremely comforting to know that there is extensive support for maximising recycling across the partnership. We now have the endorsement to deliver our plans and continue to increase recycling across North Yorkshire and York".