Residents in Oxford are recycling nearly twice as much of their rubbish as they did six months ago, according the city council. BBC reports that since the new fortnightly waste collection scheme was introduced in October 2006, the recycling rate increased from 19% to 39%.

But the scheme has triggered complaints from residents about smelly bins, and a public health investigation has begun. The council is now also looking at introducing food waste collections. This would be linked up with a new processing plant being planned for 2008.

Councillor Jean Fooks, executive member for a cleaner city, said: "Since the introduction of the new scheme residents have recycled over 9,000 tonnes of waste - that‘‘s waste that was diverted from landfill."