Redbridge Council has launched a campaign to cut down household waste as it collects the fifth highest amount of rubbish in England.

The amount of black bag waste collected per person in the borough is enough to fill more than 2,500 double decker buses, according to the council's waste reduction strategy.

To change that, the authority is in the process of rolling out a wheelie bin service to limit the amount of waste a household can put out and encourage more recycling.

MORE: Redbridge resident wants answers after weeks without rubbish collection

The wheelie bin scheme has received criticism, with some residents complaining the standard 180 litre size bin is insufficient.

More than 200 residents have signed a petition calling for all households to receive larger 240L bins and for them to be collected even if they are open.

The bin now needs to be closed and contain all rubbish inside before it will be collected.

Ilford Recorder: It took more than four weeks for a Redbridge resident to finally get his rubbish picked up after he did not receive his wheelie bin because of an admin error.It took more than four weeks for a Redbridge resident to finally get his rubbish picked up after he did not receive his wheelie bin because of an admin error. (Image: Sashank Keni Lotlikar)

Only households with five or more people or two or more children in nappies are eligible for the larger bins.

A spokesperson for Redbridge Council defended the rollout and said: "This encourages residents to put more items in their recycling boxes and explore waste reduction ideas to ensure there is enough space inside the wheelie bin for the average household waste that can't be recycled."

As part of the campaign, the council has launched a series of free online workshops covering a range of waste reduction and recycling themed topics.

With half of all waste collected in Redbridge coming from food waste, the council is hoping to encourage people to find ways to reduce the amount of food which goes in the bin.

The spokesperson added: "By taking simple steps to reduce, reuse and recycle, every resident can play their part in helping lower the amount of waste being produced and Redbridge Council is here to support you every step of the way.

"By making small changes to the way we buy and use food in the borough, we can change the amount of food being wasted, which will also have a big impact on the environment and help you save money."

To find more information on ways to reduce your food waste visit https://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/.