BLUE bins could be issued to thousands of homes in Burnley and Padiham in a bid to turn the borough green - but it would cost at least £1million.

Campaigning residents say that the current recycling boxes are too flimsy - and often leave paper and cardboard blowing across the streets in bad weather.

An investigation has now been launched by Burnley Council into ways of improving its recycling rate.

One option, being considered as part of a £65,000 study, is to issue blue recycling bins to each suitable household.

But council chiefs say that this could come with a price tag of £1million for the bins alone - and another £150,000 to £200,000 for any additional bin crews needed to collect them each week.

The recycling bins would be blue. Ironically, claret bins were last year issued by Blackburn with Darwen Council for household waste. Council bosses say colour is not an issue.

Council leader Coun Gordon Birtwistle said: "Money was allocated, as part of the capital programme, to look at ways in improving our recycling rate as a council.

"In the past year or two our rate has risen from seven per cent of waste recycled to around 32 per cent. We are the seventh best local authority in the country.

"But the Government has now increased our target for recycling from 35 per cent to 40 per cent, by 2010.

"Nothing has been ruled in and nothing has been ruled out and we are looking at different ways to achieve our target.

"We would have to spend £1million on the bins alone.

"The present system is very quick but it would take a lot longer if all of the recycling bins had to be emptied, even if there were just a few items in the bottom."

Residents in Padiham had called on the council to consider selecting their area as a pilot for any future recycling initiative - after becoming fed-up at the 'inadequacy' of the current recycling boxes, which are used to store plastic, glass and tins, and white bags for paper and cardboard.

Stoney Moor Bottoms Residents' Association chairman Ann Bartlett said: "We have received a number of complaints about the boxes being blown all over the place."

She said the boxes were often found to be too small for those with a real passion for recycling household waste The residents collected a petition containing dozens of names and Hapton with Park councillor Sharon Wilkinson took up their struggle at a the Burnley full council meeting.

Coun Wilkinson said: "Many residents are enthusiastic supporters of the council's recycling service, using blue plastic bags or boxes to recycle bottles, cans and plastics.

"These are not always the most convenient for those with larger amounts to recycle. And they have found that they are not always suitable with the weather we have."

Coun Peter Doyle, executive member for finance and Tory group leader, said he was concerned about the cost of blue bins.

Coun Doyle said: "Where does the money come from?

"It has got to come from the taxpayers of Burnley - so do Burnley taxpayers want to commit to that by raising council taxes or do they want to lose some of their existing services?"

The current system sees household and recycling containers collected on alternative weekly rounds by private firm Veolia.

Councillors agreed to re-examine the blues bins issue once the current recycling review had been completed.