At the moment, the UK is the only country in Europe that doesn't give municipalities the power to charge households for waste management services in proportion to use. Where "pay per throw" is allowed, there is little hard evidence that it increases fly tipping and none that public health is harmed.
The response to the proposals by Caroline Spelman (shadow Local Government Secretary) is both populist and ignorant, pandering to the section of the population that still believes that it has an inalienable right to have as much rubbish as it chooses to leave out every week collected free of charge at the point of delivery. It leaves a significant dent in the Conservative Party's pretensions to be a party with green credentials.
The Rev Andrew Craig
Hartlepool
24 March 2007
Conservatives and "Pay Per Throw"
Great letter in the Independent today about a proposal for councils to have the power to charge households for waste pick-up in proportion to use (i.e. more bags per fortnight, more charge per household):
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Not sure I follow the logic here.
Conservatives may be opportunist, but Pay Per Throw is political death for those who trial it.
It is disappointing and a bit baffling to see the Green Party, who have a progressive outlook on many environmental questions, supporting the abandonment of household rubbish collection as a public service.
I am a committed recycler, but would never accept Pay per Throw and, if I therefore found myself in an unholy and unexpected temporary agreement with the Conservatives over household rubbish collections, then so be it.
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