RECYCLING efforts by Kirklees has won the council fourth place out of 21 in Yorkshire and Humberside.
Figures by the Audit Commission show that only Hull, Rotherham and North Lincolnshire councils did more than Kirklees.
Hull topped the league table by providing 97% of its residents with a kerbside collection of recyclable items.
Kirklees provides 84% of its population with a collection.
Bottom was the East Riding of Yorkshire, with only 0.5% of residents being offered kerbside recycling collections.
It is followed by Sheffield at 9% and Scarborough at 20.8%.
The GMB, Britain's general union, called on councils to do more to promote recycling by offering kerbside collections.
Justin Bowden, GMB public services organiser, said: "Residents need to see TV ads to educate the public, so that Yorkshire and Humberside residents - and our members who collect the refuse - can all play their part in getting towards an environmentally sustainable development in our cities and towns."
Clr David Payne, Kirklees Cabinet member for the environment and transport, said: "We have done more than many other areas in terms of recycling.
"The Government has announced proposals to force all councils to collect at least two separate recyclables. We are already doing three, so we are well ahead of the game."
Clr Payne said one of the reasons why Kirklees did not top the recycling league was because of hilly terrain. This prevented large refuse wagons going to some areas to collect recyclable goods.
More wagons and staff would be needed if the final 16% of Kirklees residents were to be offered a kerbside collection for recyclables.
Clr Payne said the council had not yet managed to find the cash for the extra wagons and staff, but it was hoped to do so some time.
He added that recycling was expensive, but as the Government increased taxes on burying rubbish in the ground, recycling would become more viable.
