The Local Government Association has promised that local authorities will not use ‘save as your throw’ waste schemes as a stealth tax to raise extra cash.
The association has also published details of an Ipsos MORI survey which suggests that two-thirds of people would support ‘pay and throw’ schemes and outlined three options which it says councils in England could find effective in reducing the amount of waste going into landfill.
Residents could be offered a choice between using different-sized pre-paid sacks for household waste; a weight-based system where wheelie bins are fitted with microchips to allow the bins to be weighed when they are collected; and a volume-based system where they are charged according to their choice of wheelie bin size.
Cllr Paul Bettison, chairman of the LGA’s environment board, said: ‘If councils introduce save-as-you-throw schemes, it will be to promote recycling, not to generate extra cash through an extra stealth tax.
‘There will be parts of the country where save-as-you-throw schemes are not appropriate, and the final decision must be made by local councils in response to local need and in consultation with local people.
‘Councils are doing everything they can to hold down landfill costs, boost recycling and protect the environment. The unfortunate reality is that we must do more to reduce the amount of waste being thrown into landfill.
‘For decades, people have been used to throwing their rubbish away, without worrying about the consequences. Those days are over. There is now strong public support for schemes which reward people for recycling, and councils should be given the power to introduce these where it is appropriate to do so.’
Evidence from the Continent showed save-as-you-throw schemes could reduce waste and boost recycling, he added. ‘Councils and council taxpayers are facing fines of up to £3bn if we do not dramatically reduce the amount of waste thrown into landfill, and so it is vital we look at alternatives to the status quo,’ he said.
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