Assurance that fines are ‘a last resort’ for recycling refuseniks

Published: 18th March, 2011
by PETER GRUNER

COMPULSORY recycling begins in Islington next month in an effort to save money in the face of huge government funding cuts.

As a last resort, people who continue to refuse to recycle will face a fixed penalty notice of £110, as from April 4.

It costs about £80 of public money to send a tonne of rubbish to landfill, compared with about £15 a tonne for recycling.

The council faces about £100million in government funding cuts over the next four years. Trimming the landfill bill will save money for vital services.

The cost of sending waste to landfill is due to soar over the next decade because of increased taxes and charges.

Labour environment chief Councillor Paul Smith said: “Islington is the London borough hardest hit by cuts from central government, and to protect services and keep council tax down we need to save money wherever we can. 

“Recycling saves money, and recycling more means the money saved can be spent on important Islington services rather than being thrown away on our rubbish.

“We’re not trying to catch anyone out and we thank everyone who is already recycling. But we do think everyone should do their bit.  

“Fines will be a last resort if we are 100 per cent sure people have been given the right information and containers but still refuse to recycle.”

Sam Jarvis, of environmental charity Waste Watch, said: “Recycling makes environmental and economic sense. In other boroughs, like Barnet and Brent, that have introduced similar schemes, there have been big rises in recycling.

“Recycling is one of those things that just becomes an everyday habit. By all pulling together, we can prevent precious resources being needlessly buried in the ground.”

Under the new policy, people who do not recycle will be given help and advice. An advisor may visit them to make sure they have the right containers and information.

Residents are invited to contact the council if they think they do not have the right containers. They can be ordered online at www.islington.gov.uk/myeaccount or by calling Contact Islington on 0207 527 2000.

Compulsory recycling applies to all residents, whether they have door-to-door collections or take recycling to communal bins.