The proposed Bill, currently out to consultation, tackles fly-tipping, graffiti, litter and abandoned vehicles, and could be part of the next Parliamentary term (see Defra consultation).
”The word's 'rubbish tax' and 'Queen's speech' should not be seen in the same sentence together.“
– Defra
But speaking to letsrecycle.com today, Defra dismissed newspaper claims over the last few days that a “household incentive scheme” – to make it financially beneficial to householders to separate their waste for recycling – would be part of the proposed Bill.
The claims, resulting from leaked cabinet papers, were that Secretary of State Margaret Beckett is pushing for local authorities to be given the power to charge householders for the amount of unsorted waste they put out for collection (see letsrecycle.com story).
But a Defra spokesperson said: “The so-called rubbish tax is not part of the Clean Neighbourhoods consultation. The only proposals relating to waste collections are that councils will be given powers to fine householders who put their waste out on the street too early or on the wrong day.”
Defra said variable charging would “certainly not” be part of the Queen's speech in the autumn, adding: “The word's 'rubbish tax' and 'Queen's speech' should not be seen in the same sentence together”.
However, Defra did confirm it is continuing to consider giving variable charging powers for waste to local authorities. The spokesperson said: “The Strategy Unit report Waste Not Want Not did recommend that local authorities be given powers to provide inventives for householders to recycle their waste. The government has looked at this, and is looking at incentive schemes at the moment.
“The report that we will charge householders 1 a bag is not the case – there are various ways of doing this, and we are considering all of them,” he added.
Defra said that a variable charging system could form part of future legislation, but that it would have to go through a full consultation process before that could happen.
Barnet
Meanwhile, the London Borough of Barnet is writing to Secretary of State Margaret Beckett to urge the government to consider pushing its “compulsory recycling” scheme rather than a variable charging system, which it described as a “punitive approach”.
The Barnet system, introduced to 25,000 households in April and set to be expanded borough-wide, sees the council threatening residents that “persistently fail” to recycle with court action under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The council believes recycling refuseniks could ultimately be fined up to 1,000 if courts are sympathetic to their cause.
However, before court action is taken, those residents that are not found to be using their black box kerbside recycling service are contacted by council officers to urge them to take part. Court action is seen as a last resort.
Councillor Matthew Offord, member for the environment at Barnet, said: “We would urge the government to consider Barnet's pioneering compulsory recycling scheme as a national model. It is simple, even-handed and proven to work.”
Education
Cllr Offord said the Barnet system is based on “education and simplicity” rather than “heavy-handed punitive action”, with householders given the facilities to recycle “everything from paper to batteries, glass to engine oil” each week. Education has been provided through marketing campaigns and work with schools, and the system had the backing of pressure group Friends of the Earth, he said.
“If ministers want to give their recycling strategy some teeth, we would urge them to adopt Barnet's compulsory scheme, with its emphasis on education and encouragement, rather than punish householders with a stealth tax that could lead to more illegal dumping,” Cllr Offord said.
So far, Barnet has seen a 25% increase in recycling tonnages collected in the four wards on the scheme, as well as an 18% increase borough-wide (see letsrecycle.com story).
Subscribe for free