RECYCLING chiefs have launched a new weapon against litter clogging up the canal.

Sita UK, operators of the Hillhouse-based energy from waste plant, have taken to the water in a bid to clear up the clutter.

Their new rowing boat, The Ramsden Recycler, named in honour of Sir John Ramsden, who built the Huddersfield Broad Canal in 1780, has been launched to help workers fish items out of the water.

They will be working on the stretch of canal running past the Hillhouse site.

Site supervisor Rob Laverick said: “We’ve been trying to clean the canal for years with a net on a long pole but with limited success.

“Litter congregates at the basin where barges turn round right outside the plant and I imagine we get the blame by association.

“So we bought a boat to help us do the job more effectively.

The boat has been financed by Sita UK and is crewed by site operatives who take to the water once a month.

Rob added: “Three out of every four of our 84 employees in Huddersfield live in the town and we wanted to do what we could to keep our waterways clean.

“We have to comply with tough regulations on the control of litter, which are enforced by the Environment Agency, so it’s upsetting when people think we might be responsible for the litter that collects in the canal basin.”

British Waterways manager Jon Horsfall said “We’re very grateful to Sita for the work they plan to do.

“Litter is not only unsightly, but can present real problems for the wildlife that depends on the canal as a place to live and feed.

“By using their new boat the Sita team will be able to remove litter from even the most hard to reach places which will make a real difference to the canal”.