HOUSEHOLDERS will be able to leave out yoghurt pots, margarine tubs, Tetra Pak drinks containers, batteries and small electrical items for recycling during a trial in three areas.

As well as testing out the response from over 5,000 homes in Taunton, Wellington and Wiveliscombe, the three-month Recycle More initiative will also review recycling and refuse collection frequency.

The trial involves.

*1,800 homes in Taunton’s Rowbarton, Deane Drive and Hillyfields areas – new kerbside recycling items, unchanged collection frequency of existing weekly recycling and fortnightly refuse collections.

*2,300 homes in Longforth Road, Holyoake Street and Waterloo Road, in Wellington, and Waterleaze and Thames Drive, Taunton – new kerbside recycling items, fortnightly collection of dry recycling and refuse, weekly food waste collection.

*1,100 homes in Wiveliscombe and Langley Marsh – new kerbside recycling items, unchanged collection frequency of recycling, including weekly food waste, refuse collected every three weeks.

After the Recycle More trials, households will revert to their current collection cycles of weekly recycling and fortnightly refuse.

The Recycle More trials, which aim to boost the amount of recycling and cut council spending on waste, will not lead to any immediate changes but are part of the long-term planning of waste services from 2016.

Somerset Waste Partnership managing director Steve Read said: “These are short-term, small-scale trials for which all residents involved will get full information and be offered support to overcome any difficulties.

“Evidence produced by the Recycle More trials will help develop efficient, cost-effective services that are good for the environment, good for Somerset and meet people’s needs to recycle more, waste less and save money.”