Bristol City Council plans to spend £20,000 creating a film

to show residents how to recycle their rubbish.

The authority has sought volunteers to star in the 10-minute

film, which will be available on the internet and released as

an interactive DVD in October.

The new film comes two years after the council introduced

its new waste collection system, which has seen recycling rates

soar.

Despite the scheme's success, the DVD will be launched as

part of a "major campaign to promote recycling services" to

help the elderly and those in flats and multi-occupancy houses

understand the system.

Liberal Democrat city councillor Gary Hopkins, who

spearheaded the introduction of the new system when the Lib

Dems were in charge of the city council, acknowledged there was

a minority still not using the recycling collections

effectively or at all.

But he said the money would be better spent helping

residents by sending council officers to meet them and explain

the system face-to-face, rather than through a DVD.

He said: "About 70 per cent of people are using it pretty

well but there's a minority who have still not been

persuaded.

"But it's strange that the council thinks that those people

who are not using the recycling system effectively will take

the trouble to watch a DVD.

"What's really needed is a face-to-face explanation with

practical help, but that idea has been rejected."

Mr Hopkins (Lib Dem, Knowle) believes the food waste

recycling has proved the most difficult part of the waste

revolution for residents to get to grips with.

Filming for the DVD is set to take place in September and

volunteers will be asked to star in the following scenes:

1 Family recycling at home (black box and food waste)

2 Garden waste recycling (sacks and/or wheeled bin)

3 Recycling at local recycling centre (supermarkets)

4 Recycling at Household Waste Recycling Centre (St

Philip's)

5 Composting at home

A spokeswoman for Bristol City Council said: "The Citizen's

Jury (a panel of Bristol residents) suggested we look at

different ways to promote the services and when we discussed it

with housing associations, student organisations and community

groups they have been very supportive. The interactive DVD will

be used to show people living in flats, residents in multi-

occupancy houses, older people and other residents how they can

use the many recycling services in their area."