The Barnsley-based collection company was responding to claims by CIWM president Stephen Aston last week that variable charging on household waste was “inevitable” (see letsrecycle.com story).
Variable charging, a system that would see householders paying for their non-recyclable waste by weight, perhaps alongside a flat waste management fee, would be unnecessarily complicated to bring in according to Glass Recycling managing director Michael Durr.
He said: “Apart from the political difficulties of attempting to implement systems to charge households, there are considerable complexities, for both industry and local authorities. The financial resource and time would better be used improving current methods of increasing public awareness and participation.”
Waste would need to be weighed when collected under such a scheme, with radio frequency identification tags used to identify bins. Local authorities would also need a “substantial administrative infrastructure” to calculate and send out bills, Mr Durr argued.
Glass Recycling also warned that variable waste charging could lead to an increase in fly-tipping and the abuse of bring banks through householders dumping material to avoid charges.
“It is no good to say that (variable charging) is inevitable without fully evaluating the implications and consequences,” he said.
The glass collectors recently launched a website promoting glass recycling and a range of publicity materials, which councils can use for a small fee, with partner and glass reprocessor, Rexam Glass.
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