the wastelands

A government think tank is recommending that councils should be given the power to charge households for the non-recyclable waste they get rid of. The Institute for Public Policy Research says this is the only way to improve the UK's poor recycling record (18% of waste in 2003-04). Only Greece and Portugal have worse recycling rates in Europe. IPPR director Nick Pearce said that for the new system to be fair, rubbish collection would have to be removed from the council tax.
It seems the variance in council success rate is quite dramatic: St Edmundsbury, in West Suffolk, recycles 50.64% of its waste. Newham, in London, recycling only 6.23% of waste. A difference of 44% is extreme to say the least.
In Germany where some local areas charge around 18 pence per kilo for waste not recycled pay as you throw has boosted collection of recyclable materials to more than 65 per cent.

England's top five recycling councils
St Edmundsbury: 50.64%
Forest Heath: 48.59%
South Cambs: 46.80%
Lichfield: 46.35%
Harborough: 46%


England's bottom five recycling councils
Newham: 6.23%
Tower Hamlets: 7.35%
Liverpool: 7.63%
High Peak: 9.82%
Wirral: 9.93%


The East as a region tops the recycling percentage chart with 29.4% of waste recycled (2004/5) (The North East percentage was at the bottom with 15.3%)

IPPR report and BBC news story