TONNES of reuseable rubbish are being thrown into a landfill site in Worcestershire because no council system exists to recycle commercial waste.

While householders are being told to recycle as much of their rubbish as possible, there is no local authority service to allow businesses to do the same.

The result is tonnes of materials like glass and cardboard from shops, restaurants, factories and offices are being buried at Hill and Moor, near Pershore.

Councils can fine householders who do not comply with waste collection rules and have even microchipped wheelie bins to monitor levels of recycling, although the bugs' are not yet active.

But the Government has not set targets for commercial recycling and councils are not permitted to spend council tax payers' money dealing with business waste.

Joint owner of Worcester's new Glasshouse restaurant Brandon Weston, said: "We produce a large volume of waste bottles and we want to recycle as much as possible.

"It is ridiculous. Because we are a business we are not allowed to use the recycling centre. It makes a farce of the residential recycling programme. We probably produce as much in a week as a household does in three to five years."

On the city council's advise, Mr Weston investigated using a private glass recycling firm in Wolverhampton, but was told it wasn't worth their while collecting from Worcester as glass is only worth £4 a tonne.

Mike Harrison, the city council's head of environmental services, said: "All the targets are geared towards domestic waste. We cannot mix commercial with household waste.

"It is silly. It is in the service plan for next year to look at it but it has not got priority at the moment. The Government is reviewing the waste strategy but it will not be out until after Christmas."

Mr Harrison added that the council charged businesses to collect cardboard, but it was still taken to landfill.

"I have every sympathy with the traders," he added.

Mark Edwards waste management officer for Wychavon District Council said Hill and Moor was only licensed to recycle household waste.

"We cannot use taxpayers money to subsidise trade waste recycling," he added.

Worcestershire County Council's waste challenge manager Jane Orme said: "It is a problem generally and not just in our area. The Government targets pertain to household waste. They are not for businesses. We have no say in this at all. It is at Government level. I think it is something they are starting to address. It is frustrating for the Glasshouse."

Worcester MP Mike Foster suggested a bottle bank be provided near the Glasshouse as a short-term solution.

"It needs sorting out so we have consistency and we have the best possible service for people who want to do the right thing," he added.