BURY has to more than double its recycling rate to meet strict Government rules and avoid hefty fines.

So said Labour leaders at Wednesday's council meeting, in justifying the controversial new waste collection service.

Councillor Stella Smith, executive member for environment and transport, said that taxes on landfill waste would increase considerably over the next few years. In 2003/04, Bury had met its statutory target of recycling eight per cent of its waste: but the target was to rise to 20 per cent in 2005/06.

She was responding to questions from Tory councillor Denise Bigg, who said the fortnightly collection of the regular grey bins was making people take their bins to council tips.

Coun Bigg also said that overfilling was creating smells, flies and maggots, and possibly leading to illegal dumping.

Coun Smith agreed there had been isolated incidents and teething problems, but was not aware of any backlog of waste or noticeable difference in fly-tipping. She said the scheme was operating successfully in 77 other councils, and was not posing any health risk.

She told members the council had carried out 587 home visits to discuss problems. Some families were given an extra bin, and others an extra collection. But she said that 93 per cent of households had no more than four people, so only a small percentage of residents may have experienced problems.