The first stage of a project to bring a food waste collection service to 16,000 flats in the borough has been completed.

The project was introduced by Enfield Borough Council’s waste and recycling team, which forms part of the Enfield 2020 initiative to improve recycling rates and deliver economic, environmental and social benefits across the whole borough by 2020.

Residents have received a kitchen caddy and a six-month supply of compostable bags. A total of 57 communal food waste bins have also been installed on estates.

The authority's cabinet member for environment Councillor Chris Bond said: “Our residents are good at recycling and we are very grateful to them for the effort they have made in helping us to recycle 40 per cent of our waste and enable us to save millions of pounds each year by diverting rubbish from landfill.

“We wanted to give people in flats and apartments the same opportunity to recycle as people in houses as part of our wider efforts to increase our recycling rates further, help the environment and promote a greener lifestyle.

“In the long run this will save us money that can be ploughed back into vital services at a time when we are trying to make every penny count.”

Phases two and three of the project will start in June and October.