BOLTON Council is set to be forced to catch up with the best recycling practice in Europe by collecting all electrical and electronic waste separately from homes throughout the area.

A new law is now being discussed by Ministers which if agreed, will leave the council little more than three years to make new arrangements for household goods such as computers, vacuum cleaners, television sets and electric toasters which need special treatment.

These type of goods may contain potentially deadly quantities of heavy metals such as chromium, mercury and lead, which can end up in water supplies if not treated properly.

The draft EU directive on electrical and electronic equipment also aims to make manufacturers, selling within the European single market, responsible for ensuring that their goods are recycled at the end of their lives.

Chris Davies MEP is critical of Britain's performance in recycling -- just nine per cent of household waste compared to more than 50 per cent in the Netherlands and other EU countries.

He said: "The throw-away society is coming to an end. Manufacturers and consumers alike are going to have to play a part in ensuring that the products they make and use no longer end up on a waste heap and pollute the planet."