Four in 10 Britons only recycle if there is a doorstep collection, according to new research highlighting the reliance on local authority ‘green’ initiatives.

The research, for financial services giant, Zurich, into attitudes to green issues reveals that Britons are only recycling 51% of their waste, leading to mountains of reusable materials going to landfill. One-quarter (23%) of respondents who throw away items they know are recyclable do so because travelling to the recycling centre is too much hassle.

Four-fifths (79%) admit that they would be more active recyclers if councils collected more in their roadside pick-ups. Of those who throw away recyclable items, 13% think it is too much trouble to wash out containers, and 9% find it inconvenient to sort waste.

he survey also reveals that, despite the majority supporting supermarkets’ plans to charge for plastic bags, 20% of respondents disagreed with the initiative. Andrew Jepp, head of local government for Zurich, said the research highlighted the ‘green double standards’ of the average Briton, as well as the scale of the problem councils faced when it came to recycling.

‘People are only happy to go green on their own terms, and that means a heavy reliance on local authority initiatives,’ he said. ‘As recycling will only grow as an issue in the coming years, people will further demand easier access to green initiatives. Therefore, it is vital for councils to continue to develop flexible plans to meet the demands.’

The research also reveals that 43% of respondents believe fly-tipping has got worse in the last three years. The poll of 2,486 adults was carried out in August.