Allow people to scavenge on rubbish dumps, says Gove

HOMEOWNERS should be allowed to scavenge for old televisions, furniture and appliances at dumps so they can reuse them, Michael Gove has suggested.

The Environment Secretary told a meeting that he wanted to change rules at council recycling centres so people can recover valuables.

Many local authorities ban people from taking away anything from their tips. But Mr Gove said he wanted the rules to be relaxed. According to The Sunday Times, Mr Gove told the meeting: “We must reduce the amount of material we waste. At the moment, if I take something to the dump for which I have no use but which you could happily have picked up and reused, then you are not allowed to.

“It is not an answer to everything, but greater reuse is one way to ensure pressure on resources diminishes. I do not want to go full Good Life – but resource efficiency is good for the economy.” Some councils have set up shops next to dumps where families can snap up goods that have been thrown away.

Ian Palmer, who visits the Farthinghoe tip in Northamptonshire, said: “I found a digital radio, nearly new, for about £7 and a big round mirror for about £10. At another dump I found a scooter for my kid.”

The Local Government Association, which represents councils in England, said authorities wanted to stop “bulky waste” going to landfill.

A Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs source said managing access to household waste recycling centres was “a matter for local authorities. Some local authorities hey may allow members of the public, charities or licensed waste carriers to take these items. In some cases the law would not permit people to take items from reuse sites without waste carrier permits. Constraints apply because of health and safety concerns”.