RESIDENTS will be asked if they would be willing to separate their food waste for collection as part of a public consultation on rubbish later this year.

RESIDENTS will be asked if they would be willing to separate their food waste for collection as part of a public consultation on rubbish later this year.

North Somerset Council wants to find out how far residents are prepared to go to increase recycling rates across the area.

The authority's waste strategy needs updating and contracts for door-to-door waste collection are due to be renewed next year.

In an interview with the Weston & Somerset Mercury about the Let's Talk Rubbish Campaign, executive member for the environment, Councillor Carl Francis-Pester said: "We want people to say if they are willing to separate out their food waste and if they would be willing to have perhaps three or four separate bins.

"As part of the consultation we need to consider how far the public is willing to go in terms of recycling. We need to understand what the public is happy to segregate."

Cllr Francis-Pester says a questionnaire is likely to go out in North Somerset Life, the council's magazine, in autumn and the new waste strategy will be in place by the end of the year.

Cllr Francis-Pester said: "People need to understand it is not just the council's responsibility but it's also down to the individual.

"The council is responsible for cost of clearing up that litter and it is right offenders should bear the cost.