LANCASHIRE'S householders are to have new environmentally-friendly rubbish collections thanks to a successful £2.4million bid by the county council.

The government cash is being ploughed into new collection schemes that will bring "green waste" collections to more than 100,000 householders by the end of March.

Another £4.5million will come into the county from April to kick start new paper, glass and plastic collections.

The cash has been given to the Lancashire Waste Partnership, which includes all authorities in the county and which has set tough targets for recycling and composting.

They hope to recycle and compost 40 per cent of rubbish by 2005 and 56 per cent by 2015.

Lancashire's 20 year waste strategy has set the challenging target that by 2005 90 per cent of households across the county will have a doorstep collection for recyclable materials.

Garden waste collected will be turned into compost, rather than going into one of the county's landfill sites.

It is hoped up to 30,000 tonnes of compost will be created every year.

From 2005, the Government is set to impose extra taxes on councils who dump recyclable waste in the ground. Councils have warned the increased landfill tax will lead to increased council tax.

County Coun Brian Johnson, cabinet member for community and regeneration, said: "The drive towards a greener Lancashire is really gathering pace and this latest cash boost will make a massive difference.

"Segregated collections are one of the best ways to increase recycling rates and cut the amount of rubbish that ends up in landfill.

"Our partners at the district and unitary councils are working closely with us to make sure the scheme is a success."

Council bosses hope to peg waste growth to only one per cent a year by 2005.

They have already launched a highly successful scheme to encourage home composting and have so far distributed 50,000 free compost bins.

Some councils have already launched kerbside green waste collections.

The 54,000 households in Wyre, Preston, Chorley and South Ribble helped save 15,000 tonnes of green waste going to landfill last year.

Blackburn with Darwen Council plans to launch segregated waste schemes in March to 12,000 homes on two bin rounds.

Households will have three bins - one for non-recyclable waste, one for wet recyclable such as garden rubbish and one for dry recyclables such as glass.

Non-recycable waste will be picked up once a fortnight, with non-recyclable waste being collected the following week.