ENVIRONMENT chiefs at Ribble Valley Council today launched their own festive "green" campaign.

They are urging residents to bank and not bin their festive food jars and bottles to boost glass recycling.

In East Lancashire alone, we are expected to consume 55,000 jars of mincemeat, 120,000 jars of pickles and 65,000 jars of cranberry sauce this Christmas, but only a small percentage of the glass jars will get recycled.

Last year, while some European countries recycled over 90 per cent of their glass packaging, the UK recycled 35 per cent. Recycling jars as well as bottles can help increase this figure.

Ribble Valley Borough Council waste management officer Peter McGeorge said: "Many people remember to recycle bottles at Christmas, but forget to recycle jars. The great thing about glass is it can be used repeatedly to make more bottles and jars, so we are asking local residents not to bin their glass, but bank it at their local recycling centre."

Government figures show that 747,000 tonnes of glass were recycled last year. UK glass container manufacturers recycled 537,000 tonnes, the equivalent of 2 billion bottles and jars, which is enough to circle the Earth four times.

Recycling just one jar or bottle saves enough energy to power a television for 20 minutes or a 100-watt light bulb for almost an hour.

David Workman, director general of British Glass, said: "Glass is associated with quality and special celebrations, which is why many more products packaged in glass are purchased during the festive season.

"Fifty per cent of glass collected for recycling in the UK is green. Clear and brown glass is ideal for making new bottles and jars, and we want to increase the amount of it being recycled."

There are 23 recycling centres and three household waste recycling sites in Ribble Valley, locations are on the council's web site at www.ribblevalley.gov.uk

Peter McGeorge added: "Our centres also take food and drink cans, wrapping paper, Christmas cards and even Christmas trees."