RECYCLING sites at supermarkets across Barrow and at Barrow Park are set to close in response to residents "misusing" the facilities and dumping non-recyclable rubbish.

From April 1, a new system of recycling and waste collection in Barrow will mean new bins, an annual fee for garden waste collection and a reduction in the number of recycling sites across the borough.

As part of the scheme, operated by FCC Environment, every household in Barrow borough will receive a new 240-litre burgundy recycling bin. This will be emptied on a fortnightly basis, replacing the old white recycling bags.

Black waste bins will still be collected once a week as usual.

Items which can be recycled in the new bins include paper, cardboard, tins and aerosols. Glass, however, must still be disposed of using the existing recycling boxes.

The new system will also mean a reduction of the recycling bring sites in the borough which will be limited to the Salthouse Road depot, Barrow, Goose Green, Dalton, the rear of Barrow Town Hall and West Shore, Walney.

The sites at Tudor Square, Dalton Greengate Club, Hall Street car park, Barrow Golf Club, the Park Leisure Centre and Barrow Island Co-op will close from March 31 and supermarket bring sites will no longer be available from April 2.

This is due to a large number of people misusing the sites to dispose of their household waste.

Alan Barker, of streetcare at Barrow Borough Council, said: "They have become financially uneconomical to run because the contamination was really bad.

"With the new kerbside collection it will be the most efficient system in the county at the moment and we want our contractor to offer a service to everyone which is second to none."

After Christmas, 52 fly-tippers were identified from rubbish dumped at the recycling sites at Morrisons, the leisure centre and Tesco Extra. They will all have received letters demanding a £400 fine - if this is not paid they will then be taken to court.

Barrow's new scheme will also spell the end of free garden waste disposal which will affect 41 per cent of people in the borough.

For £35 per year, residents will be able to register with the garden waste club if they wish to have their garden waste collected on a fortnightly basis.

Mr Barker added: "It's not a statutory service that we have to provide like refuse collection or street cleaning.

"With the austerity cuts we had to rethink how we were going to deliver such services and we went in line with other councils up and down the country."

A pop-up shop on 24 Duke Street, Barrow, staffed by a member of Barrow Borough Council and FCC Environment is dealing with inquiries regarding the new services and will be available until the end of April.

Most households will receive the new burgundy bins by Easter weekend but they will still be delivered up until April 13.

Residents who have not yet received their bin will still be able to leave out the existing recycling bags to be collected.

The new recycling scheme comes after the area was found to be below the national average for recycling rates.

By 2020 the government aims to be able to recycle 50 per cent of all household waste.

To order a new general waste bin or recycling box, phone the council on 01229 876543 or apply online at www.barrowbc.gov.uk

To register for the garden waste club residents can phone 01229 431212, apply online at www.gardenwasteclub.com or pay in cash at the pop-up shop in Barrow.