Serial non-recyclers could face £75 fine
RESIDENTS who consistently refuse to recycle their rubbish could be issued with a £75 fine.
North Somerset Council says it will implement the fines as a last resort for those who put items which could have been recycled in with their general rubbish.
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The move follows 'sampling' of refuse bags from homes across the district. Black refuse sacks, collected from properties by council waste contractors, were opened and checked to see if any of the rubbish in them could have been recycled.
North Somerset is the second best unitary authority for recycling in the country and the best in the south west and currently recycles around 61 per cent of its rubbish.
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Council spokeswoman Zoe Briffitt said: "We want to take positive action to encourage people to recycle more.
"Those failing to recycle could face enforcement action and be issued with a fine. However this would be something that we would only do as a last resort and is not a route we particularly want to take.
"We would much rather focus on how we can help people to recycle and give them every opportunity to do so."
The authority says recycling problems are worst in urban areas where there are flats and residents do not have the space to separate and store their recycling and rubbish.
It is now considering setting up 'mini recycling centres' in these areas, with dedicated banks for rubbish and recycling.
Leaflets will also be put through doors advising people on how to recycle and in some cases residents may be visited at home by council staff who will offer help and advice.
The move comes after research revealed up to 50 per cent of rubbish in black bags taken to tips could actually be recycled.
In 2011/12, the council recycled 61,261 tonnes of waste, compared to just 22,164 tonnes in 2005/6 – an increase of 177 per cent.
The amount of waste sent to landfill reduced by two-thirds in the same period from 80,000 to 30,000 tonnes.
20 Comments
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by Brandon_Hill
Friday, March 08 2013, 9:29AM
“People who don't recycle are lazy and selfish and deserve to be punished.”
by Stephen_L
Wednesday, March 06 2013, 10:08PM
“This could be nice little earner for the council, if applied properly.”
by Lone_Ranger
Wednesday, March 06 2013, 8:20PM
“Marksy - No-one pays Poll Tax any more so you're hardly a freeloader.”
by Hardcore4u
Wednesday, March 06 2013, 5:58PM
“We have one small wheelie bin in our district which gets emptied every fortnight and we still can't manage to get everything in it even when we recycle everything possible. Why not give us larger bins and stop wasting our time by sending most of the recycling products back due to not fitting regulations!! It should be the refuge people being issued the fines due to the lack of mess and rubbish they leave behind!! Oh well; I am not complaining coz it will be my haters that will get the fine!! LOL”
by Hardcore4u
Wednesday, March 06 2013, 5:51PM
“That's cool, i'll be offloading my unwanted rubbish that I cant fit into my wheelie bin into my neighbours bins who I hate!! Good thinking BATMAN!! I'd love to see their faces when they get confronted with a £75 fine!! LOL”
by Brizz_Tony
Wednesday, March 06 2013, 5:19PM
“Why only £75? Since we had the new smaller bins in Bristol, I've never put it out more than half full. It doesn't need cleaning like in the olden days, when the food waste went into it. It's a bit of a pain having three other things to put out, but it's not exactly savage labour. If it means the stuff gets recycled, I don't mind going the extra inch.”
by Marksy
Wednesday, March 06 2013, 4:35PM
“by Lone_Ranger
I wouldn't know, I don't pay mine I'm a free loader !”
by Lone_Ranger
Wednesday, March 06 2013, 1:38PM
“Marksy. There hasn't been Poll Tax for the best part of quarter of a centuary.”
by Morrissey9
Wednesday, March 06 2013, 1:06PM
“Fair enough if people have been informed, reminded and continue to lump everything in the main bin to overflowing. But I suspect although they say they don't want to go down the fining route, it may well end up with them going through random bins and fining people for putting a single yoghurt pot in with an otherwise impeccably sorted bin for collection.”
by danarcher747
Wednesday, March 06 2013, 12:51PM
“Create sorting centres
How many un-employed are we paying for??
Simple solution.”