Camden has launched an ambitious project to recycle 570,000 paper coffee cups.

Camden Climate Change Alliance and Veolia have kick-started the Camden Recycles Cups project to promote recycling and tackle what it calls the "unsustainable throwaway culture".

Funded by a £50,000 grant from Hubbub's The Cup Fund, the green campaign will bring coffee cup recycling to offices and coffee shops, offering businesses and cafes across the borough the opportunity to receive free cup recycling collections.

Camden Council environment chief Adam Harrison said: "Every small change we make in our day to day lives helps in the fight against climate change.

"Using a reusable cup for takeaway coffee will reduce the amount of waste we collect.

"Climate change is an issue for everyone on this planet and by working together we can tackle it, one coffee cup at a time."

In the UK, almost 3 billion coffee cups are used per year. Only 4 per cent are recycled.