The confirmation comes in the week after the Republic of Ireland government announced a deadline for all councils there to offer 'pay-by-use' systems for household waste collection (see letsrecycle.com story).
In the UK, the Strategy Unit originally recommended in November 2002 that DEFRA should consider introducing incentive schemes to encourage householders to reduce and recycle their waste.
Responding to the recommendation in 2003, the government said that it would undertake work to investigate variable charging schemes, but little has been heard of this work in the year since.
In a statement to letsrecycle.com, the government has suggested that variable charging trials would require new legislation.
Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: “The government response to the Strategy Unit report recognised that there is a need for households to reduce waste and increase recycling and re-use. Household incentive schemes may have a part to play in this. However, schemes involving direct or variable charging would require new legislation.”
The government said it has been undertaking work with the Local Government Association and other stakeholders to “consider the practicalities of operating any such schemes and how the potential disadvantages might be overcome”.
And, a DEFRA spokeswoman confirmed: “The government will consider the results of this work during 2004.”
In a recent position paper, the LGA voiced its support for the government to give local authorities the power to introduce variable charging or other financial incentives as part of wider household waste minimisation measures.
The LGA said: “We now want central government to help us do even more to help local authorities reduce waste by… giving local authorities a power to charge householders for waste collection to encourage waste reduction, re-use and recycling.”
Subscribe for free