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| Cash for recycling plans 'timid' | Cash for recycling plans 'timid' |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| Government plans to let councils give money back to people who recycle are "timid", unlikely to change behaviour and may encourage fly-tipping, MPs say. | Government plans to let councils give money back to people who recycle are "timid", unlikely to change behaviour and may encourage fly-tipping, MPs say. |
| The Commons local government committee said rewards of "as little as £20" would "fall short" of what was needed. | The Commons local government committee said rewards of "as little as £20" would "fall short" of what was needed. |
| It called for more research into the effects of collecting food waste less often and claimed recycling schemes often "confused" the public. | |
| The government has said it wants the UK to stop "lagging behind" on recycling. | The government has said it wants the UK to stop "lagging behind" on recycling. |
| 'Rowed back' | 'Rowed back' |
| Ministers have to cut the UK's level of landfill waste to avoid large European Union fines. | Ministers have to cut the UK's level of landfill waste to avoid large European Union fines. |
| The EU Landfill Directive requires a 25% reduction on 1995 levels by 2010, and a 65% cut by 2020. | The EU Landfill Directive requires a 25% reduction on 1995 levels by 2010, and a 65% cut by 2020. |
| But the MPs said the government had "rowed back" from imposing direct charges for bin collections - a system in operation in most of Europe. | But the MPs said the government had "rowed back" from imposing direct charges for bin collections - a system in operation in most of Europe. |
| Instead, it had recommended councils use "financial incentive schemes", with those recycling lots of waste being rewarded with money and fines given for those who do too little. | Instead, it had recommended councils use "financial incentive schemes", with those recycling lots of waste being rewarded with money and fines given for those who do too little. |
| The committee said it was "hard to see how a resident faced with a 'financial incentive scheme' bill for even the indicative £30 contained in the government's consultation will see it as anything other than a charge, or a tax". | The committee said it was "hard to see how a resident faced with a 'financial incentive scheme' bill for even the indicative £30 contained in the government's consultation will see it as anything other than a charge, or a tax". |
| David Miliband said the UK was lagging behind Europe on waste | David Miliband said the UK was lagging behind Europe on waste |
| Hidden in a council tax bill for as much as £2,500, the extra cost would seem "invisible and therefore pointless". | Hidden in a council tax bill for as much as £2,500, the extra cost would seem "invisible and therefore pointless". |
| The committee said a bolder scheme might do the trick. | The committee said a bolder scheme might do the trick. |
| "Breaking the link with council tax and establishing refuse collection as a utility, like gas or sewerage, might have the radical impact the government say they want," the report said. | "Breaking the link with council tax and establishing refuse collection as a utility, like gas or sewerage, might have the radical impact the government say they want," the report said. |
| "The half-hearted tilt in the direction of charging contained in their current proposals will not." | "The half-hearted tilt in the direction of charging contained in their current proposals will not." |
| Fly-tipping | Fly-tipping |
| The committee added: "Experience from other countries tends to suggest that the introduction of any charging scheme is closely followed, at least in the short term, by a rise in fly-tipping of waste." | The committee added: "Experience from other countries tends to suggest that the introduction of any charging scheme is closely followed, at least in the short term, by a rise in fly-tipping of waste." |
| In recent years, many local authorities have adopted a system of "alternate weekly collections". | In recent years, many local authorities have adopted a system of "alternate weekly collections". |
| Recycling is taken one week and other non-recyclable household waste - including food - the next. | Recycling is taken one week and other non-recyclable household waste - including food - the next. |
| Critics say kitchen waste is left to rot for up to a fortnight and encourages vermin such as rats and flies to flourish. | Critics say kitchen waste is left to rot for up to a fortnight and encourages vermin such as rats and flies to flourish. |
| The MPs added: "Research has found no public health risk, but wider research is required to convince the public." | The MPs added: "Research has found no public health risk, but wider research is required to convince the public." |
| But some councils had "blundered into" introducing alternate weekly collections, "without adequately informing local householders and council tax payers". | But some councils had "blundered into" introducing alternate weekly collections, "without adequately informing local householders and council tax payers". |
| Government 'disappointed' | Government 'disappointed' |
| A "clear, understandable definition of what the public may expect" was needed. | A "clear, understandable definition of what the public may expect" was needed. |
| To this end, the MPs suggested ending the use of the term "alternate weekly collection", which was "bureaucratic and confusing", and urging councils to look for "straightforward descriptions of their own local arrangements". | To this end, the MPs suggested ending the use of the term "alternate weekly collection", which was "bureaucratic and confusing", and urging councils to look for "straightforward descriptions of their own local arrangements". |
| We are currently consulting on our financial incentives proposal and will not finalise our policy until this is completed Department for the Environment | We are currently consulting on our financial incentives proposal and will not finalise our policy until this is completed Department for the Environment |
| Giving evidence to the MPs, former environment secretary David Miliband said the UK was "lagging far behind much of Europe" on waste. | Giving evidence to the MPs, former environment secretary David Miliband said the UK was "lagging far behind much of Europe" on waste. |
| "Our key objectives are less waste, more re-use and recycling, more energy from waste and less landfill," he added. | "Our key objectives are less waste, more re-use and recycling, more energy from waste and less landfill," he added. |
| The Department for the Environment said it was "disappointed that on financial incentives the committee has not recognised the need to try out new and innovative ways of encouraging sustainable waste behaviour". | The Department for the Environment said it was "disappointed that on financial incentives the committee has not recognised the need to try out new and innovative ways of encouraging sustainable waste behaviour". |
| "We are currently consulting on our financial incentives proposal and will not finalise our policy until this is completed," the department said in a statement. | "We are currently consulting on our financial incentives proposal and will not finalise our policy until this is completed," the department said in a statement. |
| "But it's clear that we cannot go on throwing ever increasing amounts of rubbish into landfill. | "But it's clear that we cannot go on throwing ever increasing amounts of rubbish into landfill. |
| "Some of the committee's conclusions on financial incentives are based on a misunderstanding of our proposals. | "Some of the committee's conclusions on financial incentives are based on a misunderstanding of our proposals. |
| "We have not fixed a level for the incentive - this would be up to authorities to decide." | "We have not fixed a level for the incentive - this would be up to authorities to decide." |