A GIANT cash injection from central government could see Ryedale becoming one of the country's top recyclers.

The district council is bidding for £770,000 from the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), which will be used to set up new green schemes to improve recycling in the area. As part of the project, every household in Ryedale could be offered provision so that glass, cans, paper and organic waste such as grass clippings could be recycled.

Commercial services manager Phil Long said Ryedale residents were currently recycling 11 percent of the total waste produced. He said: "In essence, if we get that type of money every single house in Ryedale would have some form of recycling provision.

Mr Long said DEFRA was expected to announce the outcome of the bids in December.

Updated: 12:40 Saturday, September 28, 2002