COMMUNITY groups across Lancashire are being invited to 'Talk Rubbish' with the County Council in a bid to tackle the growing mountain of waste.

Each Lancashire household produces around a ton of rubbish every year and Lancashire County Council, along with Blackburn with Darwen Council and district authorities is keen to work with groups to explore ways to help tackle this.

The county council's new waste minimisation team is offering help to groups to establish projects to reduce, reuse or recycle rubbish in a bid to tackle Lancashire's growing mountain of waste.

To develop links with these groups the team will be hosting a community recycling conference on Tuesday October 30, where groups will be able to 'Come and talk rubbish', at County Hall in Preston.

Speakers from local and national projects will give presentations on topics such as funding, setting up new schemes and the help the waste minimisation team can offer. Groups will also have the opportunity to meet with each other to exchange information and talk about what has worked for them in the past and what hasn't.

There are already a range of community based, not for profit projects, tackling waste in Lancashire. They undertake a range of projects from paper collection and community composting to furniture renovation and Lancashire County Council is keen to help people by building on this knowledge and experience.

County Coun Brian Johnson, Cabinet Member for Community and Regeneration, said: "The community holds the key to the waste problem. That is why we are asking groups that already have schemes in place, or that want to develop new projects, to collect recyclable materials from households to talk with us. Our experience and expertise combined with their enthusiasm can pay real dividends for the environment.

"It is vital that the County Council shares its knowledge and forges strong links with our communities so we can tackle the waste mountain together."

Waste Minimisation Project Officer, Clare Atkinson explained: "We are keen to hear from anyone in Lancashire interested in setting up projects that look to reduce, reuse or recycle rubbish in their local environment." The Waste Minimisation Team can offer advice about funding, business plans, working with local councils, involving local communities and what works elsewhere."

If you want to know more about the conference or are interested in setting up a project to tackle waste you can contact Clare Atkinson, Waste Minimisation Project Officer, on 01772 26 38 29, email clare.atkinson@env.lancscc.gov.uk or write to her at PO Box 9, Guild House, Cross Street, Preston, PR1 8RD.