THE amount of Worcester's rubbish that is recycled could reach 24 per cent by March thanks to the success of the new wheelie bins.

recycling levels are recorded each quarter and in 2005/6 there has been a quarter on quarter increase, including a leap after the bins were distributed to a third of city households.

Figures for April to June show recycling at 16.96 per cent, or 1,564.23 tonnes, and from July to September there was a slight increase to 17.34 per cent, or 1,591.92 tonnes.

But from October to December, the first quarter to include the waste collected from the wheelie bins, which were introduced in November, recycling jumped to 21.34 per cent, 1,887.14 tonnes.

Mike Harrison, the city council's head of environmental services, said: "We introduced the wheelie bins to just a third of the city, about 12,000 households, and you can see in two months of that quarter it's gone up by four per cent.

"When we add the next three months in, January, February and March, it will be 22, 23, or 24 per cent."

He said that 237 tonnes was put into the bins in two collections in November and 229 tonnes in two collections in December.

The figures for January's collection are expected to be higher because of the increased waste produced over Christmas and new year.

Mr Harrison added: "I accept that there have been a few teething problems but it is working. It will save taxpayers a lot of money."

The second phase of the wheelie bin roll-out is due to take place in October 2006 with projections for waste collected of 25 or 26 per cent.

By October 2007, all households in Worcester will have the wheelie bins.

Mr Harrison believes that once this happens, more than 30 per cent of the city's waste will be recycled.