We could soon be paying for the amount of rubbish we produce, under plans being considered by the Government. The proposal comes as more people are recycling their rubbish because they are being offered prizes like money and cars to do so. Environment Minister Ben Bradshaw said, "one of the things we will be considering as part of our review of waste strategy is whether we should introduce a polluter pays principle. And that is you pay for the amount of waste you produce, because as well as recycling we have to try to reduce and minimise the amount of waste in the first place." Schemes to encourage recycling have been funded by a £3.5 million grant from DEFRA, and more than 50 pilot projects have been introduced by local authorities.
The UK currently has one of the worst recycling rates in Europe, with only 18% of waste recycled or composted in 2003/4. Only Greece and Portugal are recycling less. It has also been reported this month that half a million wheeliebins in England have been given "bugs" to record homes' waste habits. The devices carry a unique serial number which can be scanned when the bin is tipped into a refuse lorry, which will be carrying weighing equipment. This has lead to the belief that local authorities are planning to charge residents for the weight of rubbish collected, particularly as they face fines of up to £150 per tonne of rubbish if they fail to meet targets under the Landfill Directive 99/31/EC. This could result in a bill of £230 million.
Chairman of the Local Government Association Sir Sandy Bruce-Lockhart, said "For decades people have been able to throw their rubbish away without worrying about the consequences. Those days are now over. There needs to be a radical overhaul of the way rubbish is thrown away, or there is a danger that council tax bills will have to rise and the environment will continue to suffer."
