To help mark last week's national Recycle Week, over 220 people in Leeds demonstrated their commitment to send less of their waste to landfill by signing a promise to change their habits by creating less waste, reusing things again or recycling more everyday items.

Now latest figures recorded by the council reveal that Leeds residents are recycling and composting more than ever. During April and May, Leeds recycled over a third of household waste (34.1 per cent), compared with 30.4 per cent during 2008/9.

The council wants households to be recycling over half of their rubbish by 2020 in order to reduce the city's dependency on landfill which creates greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.

People's pledge promises included: recycling their leftovers for lunch the next day; choosing peat free compost; recycling electricals, reusing carrier bags and going waste free for the day.