The bags, made from advertising banners, were handed out at UCLan's Freshers' Fair to new students.

A stand run by Lancashire County Council and Preston Council handed out 200 bags made by Secret Seven Design.

They were also given information about how to correctly use the
recycling facilities in their new homes.

County Coun Albert Atkinson, deputy leader of the county council, said: "Students make up a large proportion of the population of Lancashire, and explaining how we recycle in the county means that they can start making a valuable contribution."

Sue Procter, head of the waste management group at the county council, said "All new students need a bag to put their work in when they go to lectures. The idea to use bags like these came about when we were looking for a way to recycle old council banners that were no longer up to date.

"The bags are very eye-catching and unusual as well as functional, and offering them to students allowed us to speak to young people that we wouldn't otherwise be able to meet."

The county council will now monitors students' progess over the year.



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