It has launched a big new drive to encourage residents to recycle glass. In the last three months 30 blue recycling units have appeared on pavements in the borough, and there are plans to introduce a further 10 in the run-up to the Christmas party season.

The bottle bins have been introduced as part of Scarborough Council's strategy to achieve its 40 per cent recycling target. Council bosses have already admitted they are unlikely to hit the target in the current financial year.

Cllr Andrew Backhouse, cabinet member with responsibility for the environment, said that while he would have liked the council to have been able to collect glass from people's homes, practical and financial constraints meant this would be impossible for the foreseeable future.

He said: "At the moment the plant where recycled waste from people's blue wheelie bins is taken does not have the ability to separate glass from other recyclable waste such as paper and tins, and there are no plans to introduce the necessary machinery at present.

"These bottle bins are a viable alternative and they have been performing very well so far.

"We know that members of the public in Scarborough want to recycle their glass, and these bins enable people to do that.

"They have been placed in thoroughfares as we want as many residents as possible to be able to use them, particularly those who don't have access to a car and elderly people who can't walk for long distances.

"All of the bottle bins have been acoustically cushioned to limit noise and common sense would tell people not to use them after 9 or 10 at night."

There are already more than 100 of the recycling units in the town, and the council says it hopes to have introduced at least 120 by spring next year.

Harry Briggs, Scarborough Council's recycling and waste enforcement manager, said: "In the last three months we have installed 30 new street recycling units for mixed glass and we have a further 10 to be installed before the Christmas parties begin. The council is installing more glass recycling bins throughout the borough to make it easier and more accessible for residents to recycle their glass bottles and jars.

"We have selected sites that are in major thoroughfares such as Falsgrave, Westborough and Somerset Terrace for the new glass banks. We target these areas to increase access, especially for older residents and those without cars. We have also stopped separating clear from coloured glass to make it easier than ever to take part, the glass is then sorted at the glass plant prior to it being recycled. Members have issued a target of 120 sites for glass recycling and we hope to meet if not exceed this aim by spring 2010."