Householders have been given tips by Swindon Borough Council in an attempt to increase the town's recycling rate.

Avoid plastic. Plastic is one of the hardest materials to recycle - avoid buying single use or unnecessary packaging there is less chance of it ending up damaging the environment.

Love food, hate waste. Food waste makes up about a quarter of wheelie bin rubbish. Effective meal planning, storage and using left overs can save up to £700 per year.

Recycle more. Make the most of your recycling boxes and recycle all that you can. Most recycling comes out of the kitchen but don’t forget about other rooms in the house - all those shampoo bottles and toilet roll tubes in the bathroom and cosmetic bottles and aerosols from the bedroom.

Love pre-loved. One man's rubbish is another man's treasure so try finding a home for unwanted items via charity shops, online auction sites or local swap groups before throwing away.

Compost. Home composting can provide many benefits including free compost for your garden and you can also reduce your food waste further by composting uncooked vegetable peelings and eggshells. Alternatively, you can subscribe to the Garden Waste Collection Service for convenient fortnightly collections.