DORSET has been awarded nearly £4 million to revolutionise the way it recycles rubbish.

The county is to take delivery of a new fleet of recycling lorries and nearly every household in South and West Dorset is to join the 'green box' kerbside scheme - which could mean the end of bottle banks.

Council chiefs are delighted with the cash which they say will help the county beat national recycling targets.

A total of £3.9 million has been allocated to Dorset to finance projects over the next year.

They include new recycling facilities at the Crossways and Christchurch depots, new recycling lorries and extending the kerbside recycling scheme.

The kerbside scheme, which covers half of Weymouth and Portland, is similar to normal refuse collection in that households are given a green box which is filled up with recyclable materials and emptied each week. Dorset County Council waste policy officer Steve Palfrey said a partnership bid made with the district authorities was successful in securing almost £2.6 million from the national waste minimisation and recycling fund. Bournemouth Borough Council will receive £1.3 million.

Mr Palfrey said: "The money will help us to extend the kerbside recycling scheme throughout Weymouth and Portland and West Dorset.

"The new boxes will also be able to take glass which was not possible before.

"There will also be two new recycling vehicles in Weymouth and Portland and five in West Dorset. These new vehicles are unique in that the workmen are able to sort the recycled goods in the vehicles as they are being collected.

"Currently goods are collected and have to be sorted out mechanically at the recycling depot.

The money will also pay for new recycling infrastructure."

Mr Palfrey added: "As a result of this funding Dorset authorities will be much more likely to hit targets they have been given.

"Because Dorset has a very good recycling record, councils have been given some of the highest targets in the country.

"Reaching those targets is a difficult and expensive business so we're extremely pleased to have got this funding."

Mr Palfrey said as the kerbside scheme is extended, the need for recycling centres where bottle, can, paper and plastic banks are sited, will decrease.

He said that such centres would remain in the short term.

Coun Hilary Cox, county council spokesman for the environment, said the money allocation for Dorset was wonderful news.

She said it was a prime example of councils working together and would be a great boost to taking forward the waste strategy.