First pay as you throw system gets go ahead
THE first rubbish scheme where families are charged on a ‘pay as you throw’ basis has been approved.
Householders will be charged according to the number of bin bags they put out – at £2.50 each – splitting out the charge from local council taxes. The scheme in Guernsey, which will begin next year, could be adopted by councils across the UK.
The Daily Mail recently revealed that the Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee, which represents waste and recycling officers, wants the UK to switch to a PAYT system. Plastic, metal, glass, paper and food put into recycling bins would continue to be collected free.
The Guernsey system will involve families buying stickers that are put on to black bags to certify they should be cleared – much like putting a stamp on a letter. The fee will be £2.50 per black bag of rubbish plus an annual fixed charge of £85.
It is claimed it could cut the waste sent for landfill or incineration by 20 per cent. Critics of PAYT argue it would increase fly-tipping, as people try to avoid charges.