STREET cleaners in Worcester are starting a new push to try to recycle more of the litter left around the city.

The teams which empty the litter bins have been asked to place any cans, glass and plastic they pick up as they move around the city streets into a special bag for recycling.

The aim is to reduce the amount of material sent to landfill and therefore help Worcester City Council meet its recycling targets.

Mike Harrison, head of cleaner and greener services at the council, said: "They have been doing it for about a month. It is a bit of a trial.

"When they are emptying the litter bins they just lift out the black sacks and that goes to landfill.

"We cannot sort the rubbish in the black sack because there may be needles in them.

"But any cans, bottles and plastic they pick up off the streets as they go around can go into another bag for recycling."

Last year 1,676 tonnes of waste, including the contents of litter bins, was cleaned from the streets of Worcester and that is added to Worcester's total waste figure.

"That is bad news." said Mr Harrison. "If we can get the glass out, which is the heavy bit, it would be good."

Mr Harrison said the council would be starting another trial in June in Gheluvelt Park where a new-style bin made by Taylor, an Elmley Lovett firm, would be used.

The bin has sections that can be used for different types of waste.

"We are having a free trial to see how it works," he said. "Although the bin is quite big it is not imposing and it looks quite good."

Mr Harrison said the trial would enable the council to gauge how many recycling sections were needed for each bin but a recycling facility would be introduced at the park permanently as part of the council bid to gain Green Flag status for the city's open spaces.