Pay as you throw tax is scrapped
By admin on Oct 25, 2007 in Household Waste, Recycling, Featured, News, Home & Garden
The long awaited announcement that councils would be allowed to impose a tax on households that do not recycle properly has been scrapped. The controversial plan for “pay as you throw” rubbish charges was expected to be unveiled by The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) later this week.
The proposals were shelved after a last-minute intervention from Gordon Brown, who was worried about the impact that a “pay as you throw” system would have on large families that produce large amounts of rubbish. There were also concerns about the practicality of imposing the taxes and the increased likelihood of fly-tipping.
Under the proposed “pay as you throw” system, local councils would be allowed to penalise householders who do not recycle, and reward those that do. It was suggested that “green” homes could get £30 a year back from their council, while non-recyclers would have to pay an extra £30.
A government consultation on the proposals had been overwhelmingly in favour of the proposals. From the 164 respondents, which included local councils, waste management companies, environmental groups and 18 individuals, 80.5% were in support of the proposal.
Peter | Oct 25, 2007 | Reply
“..intervention from Gordon Brown, who was worried about the impact that a “pay as you throw” system would have on large families that produce large amounts of rubbish”
Isn’t that the point! To make them think what they are doing.
I was looking forward to getting a £30 rebate as a household that always seems to have a half-empty black bin and an over-flowing green bin.