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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Bin collection shake-up expected | Bin collection shake-up expected |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| More homes could soon see the end of weekly bin collections, after official research said there would be no hygiene problems if rubbish was well wrapped. | More homes could soon see the end of weekly bin collections, after official research said there would be no hygiene problems if rubbish was well wrapped. |
| Many councils have already adopted a policy of collecting general waste fortnightly - with many picking up recyclable rubbish on alternate weeks. | Many councils have already adopted a policy of collecting general waste fortnightly - with many picking up recyclable rubbish on alternate weeks. |
| Ministers say the move encourages householders to recycle more. | Ministers say the move encourages householders to recycle more. |
| Meanwhile, other research suggests Britons throw away up to a third of the food that they buy. | Meanwhile, other research suggests Britons throw away up to a third of the food that they buy. |
| Climate claim | Climate claim |
| The environment department said it had targets to meet on reducing the waste in landfill sites but it did not set policies on how councils should achieve this. | The environment department said it had targets to meet on reducing the waste in landfill sites but it did not set policies on how councils should achieve this. |
| Environment minister Ben Bradshaw said pilot schemes with fortnightly collections had revealed an increase in the amount of recycling. | Environment minister Ben Bradshaw said pilot schemes with fortnightly collections had revealed an increase in the amount of recycling. |
| Axing weekly collections will hit families the hardest Caroline SpelmanShadow local government secretary Homes 'dump tonnes of food' | Axing weekly collections will hit families the hardest Caroline SpelmanShadow local government secretary Homes 'dump tonnes of food' |
| He labelled recycling as a "major part of our battle against climate change". | He labelled recycling as a "major part of our battle against climate change". |
| Recycling household waste, he said, was "the equivalent of taking 3.5 million cars off the road". | Recycling household waste, he said, was "the equivalent of taking 3.5 million cars off the road". |
| "The research shows that alternate week collections work best when the public are informed well in advance of any change." | "The research shows that alternate week collections work best when the public are informed well in advance of any change." |
| The Conservatives say the government is disregarding public opinion. | The Conservatives say the government is disregarding public opinion. |
| Shadow local government secretary Caroline Spelman said: "Axing weekly collections will hit families the hardest, who quite naturally produce more waste than single person households, or couples without children. | Shadow local government secretary Caroline Spelman said: "Axing weekly collections will hit families the hardest, who quite naturally produce more waste than single person households, or couples without children. |
| "Like many others, they will be asking whether it's too much to ask that our streets are kept clean and our bins emptied." | |
| 'Awful smell' | 'Awful smell' |
| Some residents in areas where rubbish is collected fortnightly have complained of more rats, maggots and nasty odours. | Some residents in areas where rubbish is collected fortnightly have complained of more rats, maggots and nasty odours. |
| Doretta Cocks, a Hampshire housewife who campaigns against fortnightly collections, says they are "not adequate" and "compromise public health". | Doretta Cocks, a Hampshire housewife who campaigns against fortnightly collections, says they are "not adequate" and "compromise public health". |
| She says her bin gives off an "awful smell" after 10 days, despite the rubbish being double-wrapped. | She says her bin gives off an "awful smell" after 10 days, despite the rubbish being double-wrapped. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY We have three bins, one for normal waste, one for recycling and one for garden waste. It works very well. Rob, Peterborough Send us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAY We have three bins, one for normal waste, one for recycling and one for garden waste. It works very well. Rob, Peterborough Send us your comments |
| But Paul Bettison, from the Local Government Association, said there should be no hygiene problems. | But Paul Bettison, from the Local Government Association, said there should be no hygiene problems. |
| "The concerns that some people have about vermin and flies have now been categorically proven to be ill-founded - provided that people keep to the advice their local authorities are giving them." | "The concerns that some people have about vermin and flies have now been categorically proven to be ill-founded - provided that people keep to the advice their local authorities are giving them." |
| He said people should make sure their bins have a lid on at all times, and that lids are kept firmly closed. | He said people should make sure their bins have a lid on at all times, and that lids are kept firmly closed. |
| One third of English councils have already phased out weekly collections of general waste. | |
| Similarly, half of Welsh councils and many Northern Irish authorities already carry out less frequent collections. | |
| The Green Party's Sian Berry said the move towards recycling needed to be backed by proper investment. | The Green Party's Sian Berry said the move towards recycling needed to be backed by proper investment. |
| "The government needs to create industries to process and use the paper and plastics we collect and stop the environmental absurdity of exporting our recycled waste to China." | "The government needs to create industries to process and use the paper and plastics we collect and stop the environmental absurdity of exporting our recycled waste to China." |