Microchips in garbage bins spy on three million
Pastor Dale Morgan
Microchips in garbage bins spy on three million*
By Brendan Carlin, Political Correspondent
Last Updated: 2:20am BST 24/05/2007
More than three million households in Britain have rubbish bins equipped
with "waste stealth tax" technology, it was claimed last night.
Rubbish bins: Microchips in bins spy on 3m homes
The microchips could be used to charge households for the amount of
non-recyclable waste produced
Ahead of today's publication of the Government's national waste
strategy, a survey revealed that 68 town halls have spent millions of
pounds buying bins with microchips.
The figure is double previous estimates and will fuel fears that Labour
has been moving secretly towards a European-style "bin tax".
The microchips, together with reading equipment which could be installed
in refuse lorries, would allow councils to weigh each household's
rubbish. The system could eventually be used to charge households for
the amount of non-recyclable waste they produce, which currently has to
be buried in landfill sites.
Britain is the only major European country not to have separate charges
for refuse collection. But there are fears that any new system could
cost an average of £20 a month for each home.
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An opinion poll for the Channel 4 Despatches programme to be shown
tonight, reveals that almost two in three people - 62 per cent - oppose
the idea of a "pay as you throw" rubbish tax.
The poll also confirms massive concern over the disappearance of
traditional weekly refuse collections. The Daily Telegraph revealed last
month that about nine million people now had to put up with collections
every two weeks.
In a statement to MPs today David Miliband, the Environment Secretary,
will unveil a broad national waste strategy to bring a "collective
effort" to recycle more and dump less.
Compared with other European countries, only Greece and Portugal recycle
less than Britain.
The Environment Secretary is also likely to put pressure on supermarkets
and manufacturers to reduce packaging. One fifth of annual household
waste is packaging.
Mr Miliband is expected to pave the way to a new waste levy by launching
a consultation exercise.
Officials refused last night to clarify his intentions.
But a government source said yesterday that Mr Miliband would outline
plans whereby people who persistently refused to recycle their rubbish
could be "fined".
However, Labour is desperate to avoid accusations that this amounts to
an extra tax.
Mr Miliband is expected to shift responsibility on to local councils by
saying it is up to them - not central government - to decide whether to
levy the charges. But the Conservatives said last night that Labour
could not escape the blame.
Eric Pickles, the Tory spokesman on local government, released a survey
suggesting ministers have been developing the "bin tax" all along
without public consent.
Landfill
Compared with other European countries, only Greece and Portugal recycle
less than Britain
The survey, based on freedom of information requests to councils, shows
that roughly one in seven already have rubbish bins with microchip
technology or are about to receive them. The Local Government
Association [LGA] said yesterday it knew of only 30 such councils.
A spokesman for the Conservatives said: "These FoI requests reveal that
a series of councils have been directly funded by the Government to
install such microchips."
Blackpool has spent £3 million on a new bin contract, while Crewe and
Nantwich, in Cheshire, has spent £3.5 million. The microchips, which on
their own simply reveal which property the bin refers to, are not
currently activated, the two councils said.
Currently, collecting rubbish costs on average £140 a household but the
bill is buried in the council tax.
One government source claimed that under the system "greener
householders" could actually end up paying less.
Last night, the LGA insisted that virtually all the current microchips
were "inert", and that modern bins come already fitted with them.