Councils that have introduced an alternate week bin collection scheme have succeeded in raising recycling rates, a report from the Local Government Association (LGA) shows.

The top ten councils with the highest recycling rates in the UK have all adopted the scheme, which sees the council collecting general rubbish one week followed by the recycling bin the next.

Eight out of ten of the most improved regions use this method and on average 30 per cent of household waste is recycled in councils which run the scheme.

Councils who have not adopted the scheme, collecting only rubbish every fortnight, have the much lower average recycling rate of 23 per cent.

Sandy Bruce Lockhart, chairman of LGA, said: "Councils are listening to local residents and taking action over their concerns about protecting the environment and helping tackle climate change.

"The move by some to alternate weekly bin collections is aimed at working with residents to reduce waste, increase recycling and slowing rising costs from EU legislation and higher landfill tax," he added.

The UK throws away more landfill waste than any other country in Europe, with landfills now equalling an area the size of Warwick.