REDBRIDGE is performing well on some environmental issues but is still falling behind a majority of London boroughs, according to new research.

The Green Party group in the London Assembly has ranked each London council based on performance in a number of key environmental areas, and places Redbridge 23rd out of all 33 authorities.

The borough is the best in London at reducing harmful CO2 emissions from homes, businesses and transport, having reported a three percent fall in 2009/10, and is one of the top ten boroughs for traffic reduction.

However, it fares poorly in other areas, such as in energy consumption per resident, where it is in 29th place, and in energy use reduction, where it outperforms only four other boroughs.

Top of the pile is Islington, closely followed by Lambeth and Bexley. Neighbouring Waltham Forest also fared well in eight place, while Barking and Dagenham came in 25th and Newham was 31st.

Last week the Guardian reported that the council was one of just four London boroughs which do not accept card during household collections, although a trial scheme will be conducted later this year, with a view to rolling it out across Redbridge.

Wanstead Green Party member Ashley Gunstock said that the council's performance was not good enough and that the problem was one of provision, not desire to recycle, across the borough.

He said: “It's poor. I've said before that it's no good being pleased with this low percentage of garden waste being recycled or something. Everything that possibly can be recycled, must be.

“There has to be an integrated and coordinated approach, not just locally and regionally but nationally, but obviously brought down to the local level which is where the recycling is actually done.

“There's definitely a shortage of facilities for people to engage with the recycling process. A lot fo it can be done kerbside of course.

“I find people in Redbridge are by and large quite sophisticated in their understanding of the recycling process. If you go to the recycling centre at Charlie Brown's Roundabout the skips are over-flowing. The understanding and the will of the people is there.

“So many people say to me, 'Where can I go to recycle cardboard?, or 'I've got so much plastic that comes in packaging, where can I get rid of it?'.

“I have to hold my hands up and say I can't really tell them where to recycle it because there aren't enough places.”

A Redbridge Council spokesperson said: “Since these figures were published we have increased the recycling rate in Redbridge by over five percent. Our rapid improvement in our recycling rates reflect the enthusiasm and efforts of Redbridge residents.

“We are committed to making Redbridge a cleaner, greener place to live and will do as much as we can to make it easy for our residents to recycle their waste.

“We are pleased to be the top London borough for energy use in CO2 per capita and also in the top ten London boroughs for KSI reduction and the top six in terms of traffic reduction.”