RECYLING in Worcester has passed targets set by the Government - but only just.

It is estimated that the 2004-5 target of 16 per cent was met with 16.8 per cent of household waste being recycled, according to the city council.

In total, 6,020 tonnes of recyclable materials were collected. However, in order to meet the 2005-6 target of 24 per cent, the total waste collected will have to increase to 8,650 tonnes.

But the problem for the city is that despite around 95 per cent of homes being on the recycling collection rounds, only around a half of households are actually separating paper and textiles into the purple sacks and cans and plastics into the clear sacks.

In the worst offending areas, Tolladine, Brickfields and Warndon, the number of households taking part is as low as 29 per cent.

To tackle this promotions officers Emma Stuart, Sharon Sugrue and Eileen Woodfield plan to visit up to 20,000 homes in the next six months.

"The message we're taking direct to people's doorsteps is that we need to recycle more and to pass on advice and support for those who are perhaps unclear about what can be recycled and how best to go about it," said the city council's environmental protection officer John Bond.

"At the same time we're also keen to pass on a personal thank you message for those who are already recycling and are doing it so well. Chief among the messages they'll be delivering is that something like a quarter of every black refuse bag could be separated for recycling."

City leaders are hoping that this approach will help boost that tally of households taking part in the kerbside scheme to around 75 per cent this year. In 2004-5 the total waste collected was 6,020 tonnes. That was made up of: Clear bags (cans and plastic) - 560 tonnes. Purple bags (paper and textiles) - 3,730 tonnes. Bring sites (when people take waste to collection sites) - 1,730 tonnes.