THE number of local authorities installing microchips in rubbish bins, including Bexley Council, has increased by nearly two thirds in a year, a campaign group has said.

At least 2.6 million households now have microchips in their bins which can be used to weigh the amount of waste used. Critics fear the chips will lead to "pay as you throw" charges.

A survey by Big Brother Watch found 68 councils across the UK have installed the chips. That is an increase of 62 per cent on the 42 councils uncovered with Freedom of Information Act requests last year.

The survey shows Bexley Council chipped 60,000 household bins but are not currently monitoring the chips.

The local authority has spent nothing installing or operating the chips in the last 12 months.

Bexley council revealed its microchip of choice was a radio frequency identification read-only tag, pre programmed with a unique number.

Big Brother Watch's report, Lifting The Lid, found councils had spent more than £1 million installing the chips in the past year.

Alex Deane, director of Big Brother Watch, criticised the "surreptitious" installation of the chips.

He said: "The number of local councils placing microchips in bins is increasing, despite the fact that only one of them has volunteered to trial the Government's 'pay-as-you-throw' scheme.

"Councils are waiting until the public aren't watching to begin surveillance on our waste habits, intruding into people's private lives and introducing punitive taxes on what we throw away."

He added: "The British public doesn't want this technology, these fines or this intrusion. If local authorities have no intention to monitor our waste then they should end the surreptitious installation of these bin microchips."

A spokesman for the Local Government Association argued: "Microchips simply identify the house to which a bin belongs. They do not mean councils can analyse what people are throwing away or issue fines. Putting microchips in people's bins can allow councils to provide people with a better service that costs less."