MORE than 40,000 brown bins are set to be delivered to homes in Pendle to help residents to reduce their carbon footprint.

Householders will be able to put empty plastic bottles, food and drinks cans, glass bottles and jars, into the new wheelie bins.

It means there will be no need to sort different items, which will make the recycling process easier.

Currently householders have green boxes, which can be heavy and have to be carried to the front of properties, ready for collection.

A lot of domestic waste is also stuffed in blue plastic sacks, which can blow away. But now collections will take place at the back of terraced houses, just like refuse collections, so people will not have to carry recycling through the house to the front.

Council leader John David said: “I am confident Pendle people, who are already keen recyclers, will rise to the challenge of recycling more of their waste.”

Almost two thirds of Pendle Council’s citizens’ panel thought it would improve recycling.

Stanley Nutter, of Colne, said: “I think the new brown bins are a good thing. They’ll make it easier for us, with less sorting to do.”

A new split-bodied wagon will be used for collections with brown bins and green boxes emptied into different sections of the same vehicle. Dave Walker, waste services manager, added: “With both the changes to the vehicles and the new collection method, we’ll need fewer bin wagons. So it’s better for the environment and helps reduce our carbon foot-print.”

When new collections begin, homes will still have green boxes for paper only. Cardboard can be put out separately, or in another green box without a lid.

The bins will be delivered and collections start in September.