STAFF at a council are being told to take home their soggy tea bags in a drive to increase waste recycling.

Hyndburn Council is also asking workers to write on both sides of pieces of paper before binning them, take home left-over fruit and salad, and re-use envelopes and plastic carrier bags.

Waste bags will be weighed by managers to ensure that the amount of rubbish is reduced.

The idea of taking home tea bags to put in their compost bin has been criticised as "over the top" by opposition councillors, but praised by an environmental group.

The authority already has a good green record, with 54per cent of waste at its Scaitcliffe House headquarters, in Accrington, being recycled.

But now bosses hope to increase that to 85per cent.

Council leader Peter Britcliffe said: "I think it is really important that we, as a council, set an example to the people in the borough about the importance of recycling.

"If this is a success I hope eventually we can go out to other offices and businesses in the area and show them what we have done, and how we made it work."

Speaking about taking home tea bags for composting, he said: "We are lucky that there are members of staff here who are prepared to do this."

Opposition Labour group leader Coun Graham Jones said: "We have called for drastic action on reducing waste and we welcome this move, but telling people to take home tea bags in their pockets, or handbags, is just daft."

Each year seven tonnes of waste from the office in Ormerod Street is recycled, mostly paper. But six tonnes goes straight in the bin.

The council's environment portfolio holder, Coun Peter Clarke, said a further four tonnes from what is currently being binned could be recycled.

As part of a drive, which Hyndburn is calling a "Shocking Waste Campaign", advice is now being circulated to staff. There has been a consultation and posters will promote it.

The council has already announced it is swapping mayor Mohamed Rahman's ceremonial Mercedes limousine for a more environmentally-friendly Toyota Prius.

Local Friends of the Earth campaigner Avril Hesson said: "Landfill sites are filling up and we need to think of new ways to tackle the problems."

A council spokesman said it was looking into the possibility of introducing organic waste bins at its offices, and would consider the idea of the bins in the town centre.