Giant waste bin takes to London streets

Campaigners will take a giant waste bin onto the streets of London on Thursday to drive home the point of how much rubbish is generated every day.

Armed with statistics on the vast amount of waste generated and the tiny amount that is recycled, the campaign hopes to make people wake up to what they are throwing away every day.

"One Bin Day is designed to make people think about what they buy, use and throw away," said Envirowise programme director Dr Martin Gibson.

"Much of what we discard can be reduced or recycled but the convenience of a bin right by your desk makes for a big temptation to throw away valuable resources," he added.

According to Envirowise, a government-funded programme aiming to put sustainability at the core of British business practice, Britons throw away in waste the equivalent of their own body weight every five days.

Food waste accounts for one-fifth of all waste nationally, while the average office worker uses 50 sheets of paper a day in unnecessary printing.

As a whole, the country produces 335 million tonnes of solid waste every year but only recycles 17.7 percent of it - one of the lowest recycling rates in Europe.

Britons throw away 12 billion aluminum cans and six billion bottles a year, Envirowise said.