HWRCs ‘at risk of closure’ if DIY waste charges removed

The association published the results of a “snapshot survey” it ran with the National Association of Waste Disposal Officers (NAWDO), which found that due to reduced income:

• A third of impacted councils would consider closing recycling centres
• Over a quarter of those impacted would consider reduced opening hours

• A quarter would consider reducing the material types accepted

The survey was run in response to the government’s announcement in June that households will no longer have to pay to dispose of DIY waste from later this year (see letsrecycle.com story).

Alongside the survey results, the LGA also called on the government to reverse the plans which will “impact services and cost some councils upwards of £1 million”.

Waste services

Cllr Darren Rodwell, environment spokesperson for the LGA said: “Public satisfaction with local waste services remains high, which is something councils are proud of and work hard to maintain.

“For many councils, reducing their abilities to charge for the disposal of DIY waste will lead to funding reductions that will have to be passed on to reduced waste services popular with our residents.

“We continue to seek genuine solutions to fly-tipping and are pressing for tougher sentencing and greater use of tracking technology. We are urging the Government to rethink this plan; it is not a good time to be reducing waste services popular with our residents.”

Savings

The LGA surveyed waste disposal authorities only. These are local authorities responsible for waste collections, these include unitary, district, borough, city and some county councils, as well as many joint WDAs between groups councils. There are 122 WDAs in total.

Almost all councils impacted (97%) do not expect the ban on charges to be offset by savings in dealing with fly-tipping or elsewhere.

Further, three in four councils impacted fear that the ban in charging will lead to large, wider increases in costs beyond the loss of income, in part due to abuse from small commercial operators masquerading as households.