RESIDENTS in South Oxfordshire are the best recyclers in the country, according to a new survey.

According to research by letsrecycle.com, South Oxfordshire District Council (SODC) recycled or composted 70.56 per cent of its waste in 2010/2011.

This was five per cent higher than the second best performing authority, Rochford District Council, Essex.

South Oxfordshire has the highest rates ever recorded by the website, which began its survey five years ago.

Its recycling rate has soared since it introduced a new waste collection service in June 2009.

The service features a weekly collection of food waste and fortnightly collections of rubbish and recycling on alternate weeks. Recycling went from 44 to 66 per cent in the first 10 months.

The same service was launched in the Vale of White Horse District Council area in October and its recycling rate has gone from 40 to 70 per cent.

David Dodds, SODC cabinet member for waste, said: “We have been so pleased with the success of our waste collection service and the consistently high recycling rates the district has achieved.”

Caelia Quinault, from letsrecycle.com, said South Oxfordshire was setting “an excellent example” for other councils.