Rubbish Charges

[Ianto.W.]

In a U turn the government has given the go ahed to charge for unrecycled waste.
* Rubbish charging given go-ahead *
Councils in England are to be given powers to introduce controversial "pay-as-you-throw" charges.
Full story:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/-/1/hi/uk_politics/7067971.stm

[Bonnyboy]

Being a fairly active recycler plus the fact that there are only two of us in the house I don’t think this will effect us too much. I can see however that it will effect larger families and families with low income. Life is hard enough when your living on the “breadline”.

I think a far greater effort has to be made at making those who do not recycle start to do so and that all the “grey” areas about what can and cannot be recycled are made black and white.

A couple of small issues I’ve noticed.

1. Some neighbouring bins can be at the overflowing stage come emptying day. A collection team member walks the round some way in front of the bin wagon. He positions all the wheelie bins so that they can be emptied more easily. What the chap on our round also does, is distribute any excess bags into the half full wheelie bins. Will have to watch for that should we start having to pay.

2. I have also had two instances where a bin bag has become lodged in the bottom of the wheelie bin and the bin returned after being emptied with the bin bag still inside. I assume that if we have to pay then any weighing equipment will be on the lifting gear of the bin wagon, I would also assume that the said bin bag would be weighed and paid for twice when this occurs.

[WillowTheWhisp]

How are they going to stop people dumping into other people's bins after they have gone to work?

We recycle everything it is possible to recycle.

There was some silly woman on TV last night on about using up left over food including the stuff that kids leave on their plates! No way!!! I don't want to be invited out to tea and wonder if I'm eating something their 2 year old has been playing with the day before.

[lancsdave]

Maybe they could charge for the bull**** that comes from the House Of Commons, ton for ton they should pay more than anybody else for waste removal

[cherokee]

Sounds to me like the government dont want to be the ones to look unfavourable by putting these charges in order , so have passed the buck .. Typical

[Lolly]

This is stupid, I recycle everything that I can recylce, but if its going to go off weight (which I presume it is, as I can't see the bin men looking in bins to check!) then how is it going to be policed?? Because I have a baby and go through a hell of a lot of nappies, and 3 cats whose litter is changed once or twice a week, now these are all very heavy items, so am I going to get charged (if it comes in obviously) because my non - recyclable rubbish is very heavy??

[lettie]

I have to agree with Bonnyboy on this. There are loads of issues which will need to be ironed out before charging begins.

Me and Sparks re-cycle everything we can do. I only stick our wheelie out once a month and even then, it is only half full. I often end up with someone else's excess bags in my bin, which I don't mind about at the moment. If charging comes in, my bin will be out once every 2 months and I'll make sure it's chocker.....

[MargaretR]

I would need my bin to be LOCKABLE - I live in a flat with open plan lawns around it - my bin is accessible to neighbours and all passing persons. It is impossible for me to secure it otherwise - I am up a flight of steps and have no outside shed.

[Bonnyboy]

Lots of issues indeed need to be addressed like those highlighted by Lettie and Margaret, something tells me it will be wishful thinking to hope that the council dont go off half cocked on this. They will be rubbing their hands at the thought of this, thinking of ways to impliment charging as quickly as possible.

[WillowTheWhisp]

HBC will probably use it to fund the change of name!

[lettie]

Hmmmm, I wonder if we will get a Council Tax reduction if they start charging separately for rubbish removal?????? (Walks away whistling 'Wishful Thinking' ).

[***Mr D***]

Id like to know how they would impliment this.

Plans outlined earlier this year would be for households to get an annual discount of up to £50 or extra charges of up to £50 depending on rubbish not recycled.

[beechy]

makes me wonder if they will go back to
weekly collections thats hbc
we may be allocated a bin bag of a certain colour
for a certain week if you want more you could
always buy them
to many foreseeable problems will arise im sure
many have been hit upon here already
wonder if hbc will take a peep at this post and take note

[Neil]

Why should they charge by weight? Should it not be by volume? After all its the volume of waste that fills up landfill sites not its weight.

Plans outlined earlier this year would be for households to get an annual discount of up to £50 or extra charges of up to £50 depending on rubbish not recycled.

Then again at only £2 a week difference between full discount and maximum charge many people might decide to stop recycling altogether.

[Ianto.W.]

Now we all know why the 'chips' were put in the bins to weigh the amount of rubbish we averaged over a period, I suppose they will start 'rooting' through it if the amount goes up and fine you according to the weight.
This was reported in an article in the Independant newspaper last year that trials were underway in some Home counties Borough's, Will the prudent re-cyclers be rewarded with Council Tax rebates and the lazy ones punished with fines? It was stated that no government in their right mind would bring such vote loosing legislation into force, now that Gordon Brown is not going to the 'country' it gives him a rather open licence to please himself in my opinion.