Barnet hopes to expand the scheme across the borough

In April, Barnet Council became the first local authority to introduce the scheme in which residents face a �1,000 fine if they fail to recycle.

It applies to 25,000 people in four wards and no-one has been fined. Barnet is to make the scheme borough-wide.

The tonnage increase in the pilot zone between April-June 2003 and April-June 2004 was 172.8 tonnes.

And the increase in the same period outside the compulsory recycling area was 290.3 tonnes. This was a percentage increase of 15%.

Government figures released this week showed Londoners recycle just 11% of household waste each year.

We are blazing a trail for other boroughs to follow. Barnet Council spokesman

Barnet council introduced the initiative to meet a government-set target for it to recycle 30% of household waste by 2005/2006.

In 2002/2003 the overall rate for waste recycled in Barnet was 13% which represents 17,674 tonnes. This rose to 17% - or 22,787 tonnes - in 2003/2004.

Although the council said in April, it did not intend to enforce the fines too severely, everyone was expected to put at least one item in their recycling boxes.

The council now hopes to extend the scheme across Barnet and said other councils have made enquiries about the project with a view to introducing it to their area.

A Barnet Council spokesman said: "We are blazing a trail for other boroughs to follow.

"We are very pleased with the compulsory recycling scheme and expect it to be just as successful when it goes borough-wide later this year.