A RADICAL shake-up in the way household rubbish is collected has been unanimously agreed by Redditch councillors.

The new scheme will be launched in September and residents will receive alternate weekly collections of recyclable and non-recyclable waste.

Green wheelie bins will replace the green and yellow recycling boxes currently in use and plastic bottles will now be collected.

The majority of Redditch will be covered by the new system by 2007 while all remaining flats and buildings of multiple occupation will receive the new service by 2008.

The council's director of environment and planning services, Sue Hanley, said: "There are many benefits to the scheme.

"The changes will do the environment a favour as we can recycle more and save valuable resources, as more residents will receive a recycling collection.

"The changes will help meet increasing Government recycling targets, reduce waste thrown away and keep refuse collection costs from increasing."

Although all voted in favour of the scheme, some councillors had reservations about how workable it was.

Several said residents used to putting their main bins out for weekly collection may get confused over which bin to put out when and what they were allowed to put in their recycling bin.

Councillor Andy Fry, portfolio holder for local environment, planning and transport, added: "Currently just 17.4 per cent of Redditch residents have been given the chance to recycle. To increase that we have to adopt a new system.

"I've no concerns about Redditch people adapting to the system. Your grey bin goes out one week, the next week it's the green bin. Its that simple.

"We'll be lenient on people who mistakenly put things in the wrong box and send them a letter offering advice for the future."