More than 25,000 residents across four wards of the London borough of Barnet are now expected to put glass, cans and paper in recycling boxes instead of in the bin.

The government wants more in the box, less in the bin

Barnet council introduced the initiative to meet a government-set target for it to recycle 30% of household waste for 2003/2004.

Although it says it does not intend to enforce the drive too severely, it has said everyone is expected to put at least one item in their boxes from now on.

Clothes and shoes are also being requested and will be sent on to charities where possible.

Fresh approach

Barnet Council has said it hopes compulsory recycling will be brought in borough-wide from October under amended rules on waste outlined in Section 46 of the Environmental Protection Act.

A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs explained how the new rules work.

He said: "Section 46 gives local authorities the power to specify which sorts of waste should be organised for collection.

Some of the UK's waste is recycled, but it lags behind Europe

"Where a householder fails to comply with such requirements without reasonable excuse, he or she will commit a criminal offence and may be liable for a fine of up to �1,000 if prosecuted."

If the scheme is a success, it could be extended first to other surrounding boroughs, and later to other cities around the UK.

Residents in Barnet make a good test group because they throw away roughly five times their body weight in rubbish every year - about 415kg per person.

This means a total of 131,000 tonnes of rubbish for Barnet Council annually - slightly above the national average.

Amount of waste recycled UK - 12% Germany - 46% Sweden - 35%

Regionally, people in cities are known to throw away a greater amount of rubbish than those who live in the countryside.

Internationally, Britain has one of the worst records for recycling in the world at just 12%. In Germany it is 46%; in Sweden it is 35%.

What is more, Britain's rubbish pile is ballooning by 4% every year. Packaging accounts for about 7% of all household waste and is growing every year.

Hazardous disposal

Disposing of this waste through incineration or landfill is very expensive, it causes environmental damage and could pose significant health risks.

A 2001 study in the British Medical Journal found that neural tube defects, such as spina bifida, are more likely to affect people living within 2km of a landfill site.

About 80% of the population lives within this distance of a site. About 90% of British waste goes into the landfills.

Recycling plants like this one are an alternative to landfills and incineration

The environmental group Greenpeace says public opposition to incinerating rubbish has led to at least six applications for planning permission for new incinerators being refused.

Several councils have ruled out incineration as an option, the group says.

Sites for more landfills are equally scarce; the costs of using them are soaring, and councils must pay tax on everything they send there.

By contrast, waste sent for recycling generates income for councils.