Cash for Your Trash

12.00.00am GMT Mon 4th Jun 2007

A new incentive scheme to encourage Milton Keynes residents to recycle their waste has been launched.

Milton Keynes Council's recycling team chose national 'Recycle Now' week to embark on an exciting new initiative. MK residents have the opportunity to win £100 every week simply by doing the right thing by the environment.

The new scheme, called 'Cash for Trash', aims to increase participation in the council's kerbside recycling scheme and raise awareness of recycling in general.

Each week, for the next year, an address will be selected at random. On rubbish day, a member of the council's recycling team will visit that address with Horizon Radio's 'Captain Green'. If that address has the correct recyclables ready for collection, they will win the prize. If the household is not recycling, Captain Green moves up the street until a winner is found.

The initial prize fund has been provided by Community Waste, who operate the council's Materials Recycling Facility. Extra prizes have been donated by John Lewis, who will give away a Play Station 3, and Ikea, who will provide a £200 voucher and an eco-tour of the store.

Cash for Trash follows a smaller trial that was run at the end of last year in Emerson Valley. Residents had the chance to win a £20 shopping voucher by recycling their waste.

Liberal Democrat councillor Douglas McCall, cabinet member responsible for recycling, said: "The Emerson Valley trial increased recycling on that estate by 1.5%. With the chance to win at least £100, I'm hoping everyone is going to get on board and help get our recycling rate up to 40% by the end of the year."