The findings, to be published by the respected Office of National Statistics, also show a dramatic increase in the number of people who say they have at least one energy-saving light bulb in their homes.

The survey found that 81 per cent of people say they have at least one low-energy light bulb at home compared to just over 30 per cent a few years ago.

Ministers have been heartened by the findings which are to be published in an interim report before the full survey is released in September. Household waste recycling schemes by councils have proved highly controversial and there has been a backlash against moves to introduce fortnightly instead of weekly collections.

But the survey shows that the public is prepared to recycle the rubbish from their homes, if they are given the opportunity by councils to do so.

The findings also indicate that public opinion may be ahead of the Government on the environment following the disclosure that officials have warned ministers that the European Union 2020 target for renewable energy is not achievable.

A leaked memorandum showed that officials had warned that an EU target, set in the spring, for 20 per cent of all energy to come from renewable sources by 2020, would be missed by the UK. The best the UK could achieve, they advised, was about 9 per cent compared to the current level of 4 per cent.

Eco-campaigners were furious that the civil servants were seeking to use the challenging targets for renewable energy to boost the case for more nuclear power stations in Britain. Supporters of wind power said that nuclear power should not be counted as “renewable” energy.

Mike Childs, of Friends of the Earth, accused the government officials of trying to water down the commitment to renewables made by former prime min-ister Tony Blair. Malcolm Wicks, the Energy minister, defended his civil servants, saying they were “thinking through” the implications of the very demanding EU targets.

Meanwhile, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs yesterday launched a consultation on putting recycling bins in public places including beaches and car parks. The document says: “The UK has one of the lowest recycling rates in western Europe. The citizen only has limited opportunity to recycle when out and about.”