The first official trials of a "pay as you throw" rubbish scheme have started in Northern Ireland, paving the way for potential wheelie bin taxes. Nearly 250,000 households have had microchips fitted to their rubbish bins in a test of the equipment necessary for sending families bills according to how full their bins are. The UK Government has paid for the chips to be installed in three areas of Northern Ireland, now regularly used as a testing ground for Labour's plans for the rest of the country. A number of councils in England have ordered wheelie bins fitted with chips, and some have already put them out for use. However, no rubbish tax can go ahead without legislation to allow councils to collect the money.
Northern Ireland minister David Cairns confirmed that £140,000 had been given to Newtownabbey, North Down and Craigavon councils to install microchips in their bins. All three councils run a fortnightly rubbish collection and recycling system, which has proved highly controversial and attracted complaints about rat infestations, health threats and fly-tipping.
