Press release
Abolishing bin fines will cost council tax payers
10 April 2011
Commenting on reports today (Sunday 10 April 2011) that the Government is to prevent local councils fining people who break rules on rubbish collections, Friends of the Earth's Senior Waste Campaigner Michael Warhurst said:
"Taking away powers to fine people who refuse to recycle would be bad news for council tax-payers.
"Recycling costs less than landfill or incineration, so why should hard-working families who regularly recycle be forced to pay for those who don't?
"Households shouldn't be fined for minor bin rule infringements, but councils should be able to take action against people who persistently fail to recycle.
"Rather than grabbing a few headlines, Ministers should focus on fulfilling their pledge to go 'further and faster' on recycling.
"If Ministers are serious about tackling rubbish they must come up with a comprehensive plan to halve the nation's black-bag waste."
ENDS
Notes to editors
1. BBC: Council rubbish bin collection fines to be scrapped: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-13027352
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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust
Last modified: Apr 2011
