The Live Wire



Press Release

Council taxpayers can't pick up the bill for new rubbish collections

9 June 2009

Responding to the announcement of government plans to hold a consultation on banning items such as food waste, glass, aluminium cans and wood from going to landfill, a spokesman for the LGA said:

“Councils are acutely aware of the need to cut back on the amount of waste being sent to landfill and are already working extremely hard to do this. Councils pay £40 in taxes to the government for every tonne of rubbish that goes into the ground.

”Cutting back on waste going to landfill is good for the environment and good for the council taxpayer. However, banning food waste going to landfill would require a huge investment so councils could operate new collections and process food waste separately. It needs to be up to local authorities to decide how they get rid of people’s rubbish.

”Cost needs to be considered in any proposals. It can’t be left to hard pressed council taxpayers to pick up the bill for new rubbish collections and new waste disposal plants. Councils need to keep the flexibility to operate the types of bin collections that work for local people. Not everyone will have the space for a separate bin for their food waste.”



Press releases, papers and documents published on this page are the intellectual property of an organisation unrelated to Central Lobby. We promote their parliamentary and political campaigning activities as they are subscribers to the Central Lobby service.

As such, Central Lobby does not edit, endorse, or attempt to balance the opinions expressed on this page. The content of press releases and other such types of content are the responsibility of the originating organisation.

Local Government Association

Local Government Association

More from Dods

© Dods Parliamentary Communications Ltd