'Bin Bandits' face bill for collection » Environment » 24dash.com

Householders who put the wrong kind of rubbish in their green recycling bin face the option of paying for it to be collected.

The proposed crackdown on the recycling "bin bandits" is to be considered by city councillors in Exeter, Devon, on Tuesday.

About two dozen "green" bins a week are not collected because they contain unsuitable rubbish like food, dog mess, nappies, dead animals and even drug paraphernalia.

The city's head of cleansing, Mike Trim, said today the move was aimed at the hard core of wilful green bin contaminators among the city's 50,000 households.

He said today that green bin contamination first attracted a warning then a strong letter, followed by further warnings.

The authority even had two environment education officers who were called to houses where green bins were found to be contaminated.

The council already issued notices under the Environmental Protection Act instructing households what they should put into their green bins.

Mr Trim said the new proposal was to give households the choice of having correctly filled green bins collected in the usual way, or paying a charge - it could be up to GBP10 - for having the contaminated bin taken away as a special collection.

"We think it will be a deterrent. It is not a fine, but we hope it will deter people by giving them a choice," he said.

If households chose the special collection then failed to pay the bill, they would be taken to court for non payment, said Mr Trim.

If households did not opt for the special collection and their green bin remained contaminated, it would not be collected.

That could lead to it becoming an environmental hazard and being taken away - for which the household would be billed.

The city already has powers under the Clean Neighbourhood Act to issue GBP100 fixed penalties for green bin contamination - but CCTV or an eye witness was required, said Mr Trim.

Mr Trim said that "99.9% of Exeter residents are excellent. The city has doubled its recycling rate of 35% over the last four years".

Shadow local government secretary Eric Pickles said today: "It says it all that under this Government hardworking households who put their bins out on the wrong day get clobbered with larger fines than shoplifters.

"If Labour is not imposing bin fines it's forcing bin cuts and introducing bin taxes. This will be hard for the public to stomach who are already struggling with the spiralling cost of living.

"People genuinely want to improve recycling and go green, but Labour's bin policies will harm the environment, by causing a surge in fly-tipping and fuelling public resentment at town hall bin bullies.

"Council tax has doubled under Labour and all the public have got in return are cutbacks to local services."