Brits could be forced to use SEVEN different rubbish bins in just weeks – here’s all you need to know
BRITS could be forced to use seven different rubbish bins in just weeks as plans to nationalise services are branded “madness”.
All councils in the UK will start individually collecting paper, cardboard, metal, plastic and glass as well as garden and food waste as part of a “national” waste collection scheme.
The changes, which could be brought in as soon as next month, have been branded “unworkable” by beleaguered councils.
It’s predicted to cost taxpayers £400 million-a-year for the next seven years, according to the District Council’s Network (DCN).
Peter Fleming, the Conservative leader of Sevenoaks District Council in Kent, said the reforms were “madness” and “make absolutely no sense”.
Bob Blackman, MP for Harrow East and member of the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities parliamentary committee also slammed the “absolutely crazy” rules.
He told The Telegraph: “It would be of great concern if we end up with huge numbers of types of bins.
“That would be madness. In urban environments, people already have four sets of bins and to go beyond that would be absolutely crazy.”
Councils in England currently choose how and when to collect waste in their areas.
But the Government last year passed a new law forcing through a consistent rule on bin collections.
The Environment Act also requires food waste to be collected once a week.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has denied that seven bins will become the norm.
A spokesman said: “We want to make recycling easier and ensure that there is a comprehensive, consistent service across England.
“This will help increase recycled material in the products we buy and boost a growing UK recycling industry.
“We have held a public consultation on the proposed changes and will announce further details shortly.”
WHAT WILL CHANGE?
Most UK households currently have a black wheelie bin, blue recycling bin, brown recycling bin and a green recycling bin.
The changes will see more collections taking place for more specific items.
It means households will have to thoroughly sort their waste into various bins before collection.
Food and garden waste will always be collected separately from the dry recyclable waste.
Local authorities can choose to join two or more of the recyclable waste streams together to separate at their own depots – but this can only happen after a written assessment.
Individual councils will have to prove it is “not technically or economically practicable” to collect separate forms of recycling to do this.
WHY HAVE THE CHANGES BEEN MADE?
The rate of recycling across the UK has shown little progress in recent years.
In England it’s remained around the 45 per cent mark since 2015.
The UK government has committed to meet a 65 per cent recycling rate by 2035.