Black waste bags taken to the tip on Portland may be opened and properly sorted by staff in a new recycling push.

From Monday, September 16 black bag waste taken to the Portland Household Recycling Centre will be opened and sorted by staff to ensure the contents go in the right recycling containers.

This is optional, but residents are urged to use the service as much as possible.

A spokesperson for Portland Town Council said: "From Monday, September 16, when you take black bag waste to Portland Household Recycling Centre, they will help you sort through it so the right things go in the right containers for recycling.

"Members of the Dorset Council Recycling Team are aware that residents may be disposing of sensitive waste, so of course this will be optional. They will base themselves by the black-bag skip, and when a resident comes over with a black bag they will tell them about the bag-splitting trial and the reasoning, and ask if they would like to split their bag.

"If they refuse, they are welcome to put their bag directly into the skip, however, they will encourage residents to work with us to recycle as much as possible."