WHAT started out as a village scheme to recycle a few plastic flower pots has transformed into a huge environmental initiative in Winscombe

WHAT started out as a village scheme to recycle a few plastic flower pots has transformed into a huge environmental initiative in Winscombe. Villagers are now being asked to contribute £2 towards the running costs of the highly successful scheme run by the Zero Waste Group to recycle plastic.At the group's last collection, in the Winscombe Community Association car park, eight skips, provided by Towens of Weston at cost price, were filled with more than four tonnes of waste, which cost almost £700 to process. The project, organised by Gillian Hill, aims to keep plastic out of landfill sites by reusing and recycling.The group also aims to encourage the reduction of plastics used in packaging and to campaign for more political action along similar lines. Mrs Hill, aged 66, of South Croft, said: "Creators of the problem must take responsibility for its solution."North Somerset Council provides a quarter of the project's costs and Winscombe and Sandford Parish Council supports the scheme, which started in 2005, but has no money to contribute.To keep costs low this time round the group is asking for volunteers to help sort the plastic on the ground before it is taken to Towens.