A quarter of Londoners do not know when their box is collected

Some 80% of London homes have access to doorstep recycling collection, but only 13% of household waste is recycled across the city.

Mobile phone users can now text "recycle" and their postcode to 63131.

The service will give them information on local collection days, explain which materials can be recycled and allow them to order bags or a bin.

In ICM research, 27% of Londoners admitted not knowing which day their recycling is collected.

The service is being announced to coincide with a new advertising campaign by Recycle for London on London's buses and Tubes and on posters to promote recycling.

London Mayor Ken Livingstone said London households produce enough rubbish to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool every hour.

"With so many of us relying on our mobiles, the new text service is a quick and easy way to make sure you're putting the right things out for recycling, on the right day, or taking them to the right place," he said.