THE MOST technologically advanced recycling centre in Cheshire being planned.

The £2m plant earmarked for Crewe's Pym's Lane is part of a major rethink of waste management in Crewe and Nantwich Borough. It is intended to compliment the introduction of recycling bins and fortnightly household waste collections.

Rather landfilling waste, costing the borough £500,000m in taxes each year, environment chiefs hope to recover plastics, cans and low-grade paper material to sell back to manufacturers.

Paul Ramsdale, the council's recycling manager, said: 'Once up and running, the reclamation plant should be able to cover its own costs.

'It will take all the co-mingled rubbish from the recycling bins and sort it all. Once that is done, we will sell the material on the open market.

'We also get recycling credits for every tonne of waste we re-use, so instead of being charged for sending it to landfill, we actually get money back.

'It all helps lessen the burden on the Council Tax bill, and the more people recycle, the more money we will have to improve our recycling facilities.'

The council is drawing up plans for the facility before submitting an application, but does not expect the plant to be running before January

2007. If the trial is successful, recycling bins and fortnightly collections could be rolled out across the borough by January next year.

By 2020, the borough council must recycle 65% of all waste or face penalties of up to £1m a year, charged to the Council Tax-payers. At present, the borough recycles just 13% of its refuse.