HOUSEHOLDERS are being encouraged to leave their caps on when it comes to recycling bottles.

Hambleton District Council has launched a campaign to recycle aluminium screw tops from glass bottles along with the bottles themselves.

The authority is asking people to screw the tops and collars back on to the bottles before putting them out for recycling.

“Thanks to modern recycling methods aluminium bottle tops are easier to recover for recycling when they are collected with the glass, so it is now possible to recycle and continue re-using this precious metal over and over again,” said Cllr Brian Phillips, portfolio holder for environmental services.

“Residents can help by simply screwing the top back onto the empty bottle and putting it in it in their blue recycling box or taking it to their local bottle bank.”

Posters promoting the scheme can now be seen on the sides of the council’s refuse wagons.