Bin Tax Plan Axed – But Would the Recycling Reward Scheme Work here in Hedge End?

The new Conservative-Lib Dem coalition government has announced it’s doing away with the previous government’s plan to impose bin taxes – charging households according to the amount of rubbish they throw out.

I agree with this decision as I think it would have led to people dumping rubbish in other people’s bins, particularly in communal areas, as well people fly-tipping and perhaps even resorting to building bonfires.

However, I’m not so sure I like the new government’s proposal to reward people for the amount of rubbish recycled, either.

This scheme is currently being piloted in Windsor and Maidenhead and according to Eric Pickles, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, who was at the launch it will operate like loyalty card points.

People can choose whether to sign up to the scheme, their recycling bins are weighed and depending on the weight points added to their account. The points can be exchanged at places such as M & S, Coffee Republic and Cineworld – or donated to local schools.

As reported in the Guardian last week Eric Pickles envisages households earning up to £135.00 worth of points each year.

Which is good for householders and if people do recycle more good for the environment.

Although it did occur to me that rather than just recycling more of their existing rubbish that people might actually increase the amount to be recycled to earn more points.

There’s also no encouragement in this scheme to throw out less waste – including unrecyclable rubbish – generally.

Also, I wondered about collection times? If individual bins have to be weighed that’s going to slow down the whole collection process and lead to greater congestion on the roads.

Any thoughts on this in Hedge End?