The council estimates the charge could raise £70,000 a year. Credit: Unsplash
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Islington council is facing criticism over its plans to try and cut down on contaminated recycling.
Landlords will pay £47.14 if communal recycling bins are contaminated by items that can’t be processed.
According to the council, the new scheme could raise around £70,000 a year.
But some landlords say this is the wrong approach with Landlady `Kamal Gill calling the plans “quite outrageous.”
“We can’t physically man the bins and see what rubbish people are putting in them.”
Recycling crews are reporting around 60 contaminated bins in the borough each month.
The charges aim to reduce the amount of contaminated recycling that goes into bins.
Items as small as a tomato can contaminate whole bins of recycling. Credit: Emily Cole
‘It’s going to be unfair’
Ms Gill said in addition there were logistical problems with the proposal.
“If tenants are not putting their rubbish in the right places, we don’t know which of those tenants are not abiding by the rules.”
“It’s going to be unfair for us to charge the tenants extra to make sure it’s done because everyone’s going to have to pay the price.”
But for others, the plans aren’t going far enough.
Alternative recycling ideas
Sajni Vekaria is the Environment Officer at Brunel University. She said, “the council needs to put harsher regulations in place” to address environmental issues.
Sajni Vekaria says the council needs to do more to raise awareness on environmental issues. Credit: Sajni Vekaria
Ms Vekaria suggested that the council could introduce environmental awareness classes.
But the council is pushing ahead. If landlords don’t pay the fine, the bins won’t be collected and they could be given a community protection notice.
However, landlords could remove the contaminating materials themselves to avoid fines.
HeadlineIslington council criticised over plans for contaminated recycling fines
Short HeadlineIslington council to charge landlords for contaminated recycling
StandfirstThe plans hope to raise revenue and cut down on the 60 recycling bins a month that are reported for contamination.
Islington council is facing criticism over its plans to try and cut down on contaminated recycling.
Landlords will pay £47.14 if communal recycling bins are contaminated by items that can’t be processed.
According to the council, the new scheme could raise around £70,000 a year.
But some landlords say this is the wrong approach with Landlady `Kamal Gill calling the plans “quite outrageous.”
“We can’t physically man the bins and see what rubbish people are putting in them.”
Recycling crews are reporting around 60 contaminated bins in the borough each month.
The charges aim to reduce the amount of contaminated recycling that goes into bins.
Items as small as a tomato can contaminate whole bins of recycling. Credit: Emily Cole
‘It’s going to be unfair’
Ms Gill said in addition there were logistical problems with the proposal.
“If tenants are not putting their rubbish in the right places, we don’t know which of those tenants are not abiding by the rules.”
“It’s going to be unfair for us to charge the tenants extra to make sure it’s done because everyone’s going to have to pay the price.”
But for others, the plans aren’t going far enough.
Alternative recycling ideas
Sajni Vekaria is the Environment Officer at Brunel University. She said, “the council needs to put harsher regulations in place” to address environmental issues.
Sajni Vekaria says the council needs to do more to raise awareness on environmental issues. Credit: Sajni Vekaria
Ms Vekaria suggested that the council could introduce environmental awareness classes.
But the council is pushing ahead. If landlords don’t pay the fine, the bins won’t be collected and they could be given a community protection notice.
However, landlords could remove the contaminating materials themselves to avoid fines.
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