A NEW waste-busting team is to be set up in a bid to make the county greener.

The team will be dedicated to developing waste minimisation projects to meet the challenging targets set in the new Draft Waste Management Strategy drawn up by the Lancashire Waste Management Steering Group.

The formation of the team follows the recent announcement by the county council of composting bins for every home in the county to take garden and kitchen waste in a bid to try to reduce the amount people throw away.

A county council spokesman said the project is part of a long term plan, and the benefits would only be realised over time. He said: "One of the team's project's will be to help us work towards meeting targets in reducing garden waste which is a major contributing factor in the waste mountain.

"They will also work with community groups on projects, put together bids to get funding for new initiatives, and run awareness campaigns."

County council figures show that half the rubbish thrown away could be composted, and if only a quarter this were kept from the landfill sites £3.4 million a year could be saved.

They are now to look at new ways of reducing the amount we throw away each year.

County Councillor David Quinn, chairman of the waste management sub committee, said: "We need to think of the amount of waste we generate each week in our homes and do our best to minimise the amount we throw away. "Waste minimisation is also the most difficult part of the strategy. Many professionals believe it is not a viable option, but the county council is committed to doing everything possible. This is why the county council is forming the new team to give people help and support. We need to change the way we think and adopt a positive 'can do' attitude towards waste reduction." The project is part of the county council's response to the Draft Municipal Waste Management Strategy document, 10,000 copies of which were distributed in the county and the two unitary authorities of Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool.

The ambitious plan puts forward a target of zero growth in waste, although so far the strategy will not be adopted until public consultation is completed.

The county council spokesman added: "There will be environmental benefits because waste is not inert and has to be treated and landfill can cause pollution, which will be reduced. And there should also be a reduction in the growing costs associated with waste."