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Government to offer financial incentives to reinstate weekly bin collections
30 May 2011
Commenting on reports that the Government plans to offer financial incentives for councils to reintroduce weekly bin collections, Friends of the Earth's Waste Campaigner Julian Kirby said:
"This decision to revert to weekly bin collections is about saving face with a vociferous minority, not about cutting waste - and flies in the face of the Government's claims to be the greenest ever.
"Moving from fortnightly to weekly waste collection could cost as much as £530 million over four years, a hefty price tag at a time when council budgets are being squeezed more than ever - even before the extra £100 million the Government is offering as a sweetener.
"Fortnightly bin collections boost recycling and save councils huge sums of money by avoiding the need for costly landfill and incineration - and are popular and perfectly hygienic so long as food waste is collected weekly.
"The Government must make it easier for people to recycle and aim to halve household waste by 2020 - with a similar target for businesses to do the same."
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Published by Friends of the Earth Limited
Last modified: Jun 2011
