Recycling chutes fitted on Bayswater estate

A pilot of seven blocks on the estate, first introduced in December 2006, saw recycling rates quadruple, rocketing from 0.8kgs per household per week to 6.14kgs after the chutes were converted.

Now nearly 700 households on the estate use the recycling chutes.

Westminster Council's cabinet member for environment and transport Cllr Danny Chalkley said: "We all have to do our bit for the environment but we appreciate it can be difficult if you live in a block of flats to carry bags of recycling to bins on the ground floor.

"This simple but innovative scheme is popular with residents as it means they can now easily recycle their waste. The results speak for themselves."

The scheme won a letsrecycle.com award for "Best Local Authority Recycling Initiative" in 2007 beating more than 200 other entrants.

Westminster's recycling team came up with the idea for the chute after it was found that those living in high-rise apartments were less inclined to recycle.

The chutes take all recyclable materials collected by the council including plastic, paper, glass and card.

These then fall into a sound-proof bin, designed to reduce the noise of smashing glass.