RUBBISH can be an asset for businesses, delegates will be told at a pro-recycling conference.

Companies from across Wiltshire are being invited to learn how rubbish can be a raw material and not just a waste product.

The conference at Tidworth on November 26 will be the first of its kind to be held in Wiltshire and is aimed at developing local markets for recycled materials.

It comes at a time when West Wiltshire District Council's recycling blitz comes under criticism, with residents unhappy at the fortnightly rubbish collections on trial in Melksham and Trowbridge.

Recycled products have been developed in the UK over recent years and the conference, organised by Wiltshire County Council, will be geared at encouraging county businesses to follow suit.

The conference will feature experts from the Eden Project, ReMade South West and Remadekernow.

The council's assistant director for environmental services Alan Feist said: "Rubbish represents a great opportunity for firms to innovate and develop new products.

"About 25 per cent of Wiltshire's rubbish is recycled. However, almost all of this has to be transported to other parts of the country for processing, losing some of the environmental benefit.

"Recycling only works if there is a viable market for recycled material. We want to encourage businesses to see recyclables as a raw material to be used in manufacture rather than waste.

"As the waste disposal authority, the county council is responsible for getting rid of the rubbish collected from homes, businesses, recycling centres and recycling banks.

"We want to develop local markets for our recyclables so we don't have to transport them halfway across the country for processing."

The Tidworth conference will offer Wiltshire businesses an insight into how other firms have made the most of rubbish.

Main speaker will be Salisbury MP Robert Key while MEP Caroline Jackson will look at the issue from a European perspective.

Advice and information on government support for businesses tackling rubbish will be available from Sarah Downes of the Waster and Resource Action Programme (WRAP).

For more information on the conference, log on to www.lets-talk-rubbish.co.uk