HOUSEHOLDS are being urged to carry on recycling waste paper, despite a drop in its value.

Rossendale Council was hit by the decision from Stubbins paper converting company Fort James to withdraw the fortnightly kerbside collection of waste paper in the Valley because of a sharp drop in the market price.

But the council will take on collection of waste paper itself because of the extra cash it gets from the government in the form of recycling credits.

Collection of paper will now be monthly rather than fortnightly but will be extended from 17,000 homes to 24,000. A kerbside textile collection is also due to start soon.

Environmental Health Committee chairman Coun David Easton said last year the council gained £6,200 from glass recycling and £17,500 from paper recycling, thanks to government credits.

The council was also experimenting with recycling shoes at the waste collection centre at Asda.

He told councillors that Rossendale people were used to recycling a lot of their waste. He he did not want to see the habit lost.

Council leader John McManus added: "We are determined to continue to recycle.

"It is environmentally friendly and is not something we should abandon just because we've had some difficulties."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.