A three quarters of a million pounds kerbside collection scheme in Douglas, Onchan and Braddan has been approved.

Tynwald voted 26-5 in support of what will be the Island's first large scale recyling initiative.

During the debate Environment Minister John Shimmin robustly defended his department's policy on recycling and said it was only bringing in what most other areas of Britain had had for many years.

The scheme will involve two colour coded plastic boxes being issued to most of the homes in the three local authority areas.

Department of the Environment staff hope to distribute the containers in Octocer, by which time kerbside collection vehicles will have been bought to gather the waste materials.

During today's debate Onchan MHK David Quirk said he believed DoLGE was heading in the right direction, but submitted an amendment urging the matter to be adjourned until December to allow time for a full waste management strategy to be put in place.

That suggestion was defeated, as was an amendment from Mr Quirk's Onchan colleague Peter Karran for a select committee to take evidence and examine issues raised in the debate.