Cartons of the Tetra Pak type are the latest common item of household waste to be recycled at tips.

Special collection points have been set up as part of a project between Warwickshire County Council, Tetra Pak and the carton industry's Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment.

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Each year, UK manufacturers produce about 55,000 tonnes of the paper-based containers for milk, juice, sauces and other liquid foods and drinks. This equates to around 2.3kg of cartons per household, which have until now been thrown in the bin.

In response, the county introduced special collection facilities at all nine of its recycling centres this week.

The waste will be taken away, baled and milled and finally used to make products ranging from plasterboard liner to high-strength paper bags and envelopes.

Coun Martin Heatley (Con, Nuneaton Whitestone), who has special responsibility for the environment, said: "The residents of Warwickshire have always responded well to the different recycling schemes we've implemented across the county, but we've still got some tough targets to meet, both as a county and as a nation.

"We're delighted Tetra Pak and the industry is supporting us to help increase the number of cartons recycled in our county and if the scheme is successful, we'd like to see it rolled out further."

The authority is aiming to recycle 60 per cent of waste taken to its tips by 2010.

Tetra Pak's Richard Hands, also chairman of the Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment, added: "While cartons have been successfully recycled in large volumes for many years throughout Europe, the UK has a long way to go. It's therefore fantastic news that the county is taking a lead by adding them to the list of materials collected for recycling

"We, and our industry partners, are committed to increasing the level of carton recycling in the UK with the aim of reaching a national network of collection by the end of 2008."

Since April last year, the UK carton industry has made £1.5 million available to help local authorities interested in starting up similar schemes in their area.

There are already approximately 100 districts involved.