Mayor leads call to 'starve' dustbins

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The Mayor revealed that 40 per cent of the waste thrown away by people living in the capital could be recycled instead of ending up on a landfill site as is currently the case.

At the launch of the Recycle for London campaign, he called on households in the capital to improve on their 20 per cent recycling rate.

His call was accompanied by adverts on Tubes and trains urging Londoners to "starve" their bins and instead fill their recycling boxes or bags.

Mr Livingstone said: "The gulf between what Londoners say they are recycling and what is required is still huge.

"If we don't recycle, our rubbish gets tipped into vast landfill sites in the Home Counties which are fast running out or it gets burnt, adding to our contribution to climate change. I am today calling on all Londoners to live up to their claims and wishes and get recycling."

The Mayor is also due to name and shame the worst offending London boroughs for recycling.

Councils such as Tower Hamlets only recycle nine per cent of domestic waste, while Newham recycles just 10 per cent.

Mr Livingstone has warned that unless the capital drastically improves its recycling rate it could face government fines worth billions of pounds.

However, he is facing questions over how much money he gives to the councils for recycling and where he would locate recycling facilities.

A recent survey found that more than 95 per cent of Londoners recycle paper, glass, cans and tins all or most of the time.