Alternate weekly rubbish collections in East Hampshire have led to a major rise in recycling in the area.

Now more than a third of all household waste in East Hampshire is recycled, an increase of 10 per cent in just four months.

The huge increase has been attributed to the first phase of the alternate weekly collection.

Just under a quarter of all household waste is recovered via kerbside collections and at bottle banks, with the rest coming from household waste recycling centres.

East Hampshire district councillor Judy Onslow said: ÒResidents in the first phase of alternate weekly collection deserve to be congratulated for their efforts, which have resulted in a major increase in recycling. This is great news for the environment and we can be very optimistic about further increases when the new recycling system is introduced to residents in the northern half of the district.Ó

Portfolio holder for environment and countryside, Patrick Burridge, is confident government targets on recycling can be met when the alternate weekly collection is extended in October.

He said: ÒThe figures are excellent news and put us on course for exceeding government recycling targets.Ó

But he admitted that there could be teething problems when phase two is rolled out.

He said: ÒWith such major change there may be some initial problems but I hope we have learned enough from phase one to iron out most of the difficulties.Ó

The councilÕs waste minimisation team is preparing for the launch of phase two with a series of roadshows and will be visiting Rams Walk in Petersfield on October 23. The roadshow will also be at SainsburyÕs in Liphook on November 7.

But not everyone is happy with the alternate collections. A Liphook resident, a Mr Wright, has written a strong letter to EHDC calling the service a Ôhealth-threatening, misconceived disasterÕ.

Mr Wright said that his bin has been infested with maggots due to the twice-weekly collection.

In his letter he states that due to the lifecycle of the bluebottle, the problem will increase rapidly, and that the cycle needs to be broken.

He said: ÒThe way to deal with them is to not let rotting things hang around your house. That is why, for many years now, councils as a matter of routine organised weekly dustbin collections. It was an extremely positive policy, with many benefits in terms of human health.Ó