Year-on-year figures from Fenland Council show a two per cent increase - from 55 per cent between April and June in 2007 to 57 per cent between the same months this year.

The improvement is partly due to the increasing popularity of kitchen caddies, designed to be used on a kitchen work surface to encourage composting rather than for landfill.

And to give Fenland people the opportunity to recycle even more waste, the council is now in a position to encourage the disposal of clean aluminium foil and aluminium quiche, pie and tart trays in their blue bins.

It is estimated this will save between 40 and 50 tonnes a year of aluminium-based waste from being put in landfill.

Coun Peter Murphy, portfolio holder for sustainable environment, said: "We are always looking to increase the amount of waste that can be recycled and this new opportunity to put foil products in the blue bin will make a significant difference.

"We are already among the best authorities in the country for recycling, but, with your help, we can do even better."