MY objection to St Helens Council’s decision to start charging for green waste collection is not so much about the charge, as the poorly thought out policy.
This is an additional tax on residents and, as previously pointed out, may well have unexpected consequences such as increased waste dumping, which may be even more costly in the long run.
Taxes have a tendency to shape behaviour. Waste collection charges should be shaping behaviour towards increased recycling as the desired outcome, not less. The waste that should have been targeted for extra payment is general waste, which everyone produces.
However, the council recycling is inadequate, as it only takes cans and plastic bottles and won’t take other non-bottle plastic recyclables.
Instead, the council decides to target people who have gardens. Maybe it thinks if you have a garden they are less likely to get your vote.
The policy is that if you have any garden waste collections be it 1 or 20 you pay £30 to 35.
Many of the gardens in the borough are small and their occupants put out their green bins considerably less frequently that those lucky enough or rich enough to have larger properties and gardens.
So, the council policy, of the same charge irrespective of number of collections, is that the people with smaller gardens, not needing many collections, now subsidise the better-off. How is this fair?
This could be easily remedied by having a sticker system that is per collection rather than an annual charge.
Pixi , Name and address submitted
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