Tension has been building over the introduction of DIY waste charges at Norfolk’s household waste recycling centres (HWRCs), with one local resident taking a stand.
Last week, Norfolk county council has confirmed that police were called to the Hempton Recycling Centre, near Fakenham, after a member of the public refused to pay a charge.
‘Incident’
The incident took place at the Hempton Recycling Centre, near Fakenham, on Wednesdayden
According to the council, the member of the public had fence and shed panels wrapped up in a wooden roller blind. In his car there was also rubble and ceramics. The charge was £3, the council confirmed.
When contacted by lersrecycle.com, Norfolk county council said: “An incident occurred on Wednesday where a customer, who refused to pay for the disposal of DIY waste, then proceeded to dump their waste on the site floor.
“Staff had tried unsuccessfully to engage with this person regarding the DIY charges, so the police were contacted.
It is understood that staff shut the gates at the HWRC during the incident, but opened the gates to allow site users to leave.
Charges
The charges for all DIY waste were introduced by the council in April 2018. This includes charges of £3 per 80 litre bag of rubble and timber, £5 for flat glass or general waste, £9-£15 for plasterboard, and £4 per tyre.
Previously, residents were permitted to take one large item or up to 80 litres of waste for no charge to their local HWRC.
The council said it expects to save around £280,000 a year from removing the concession.
“The fees will simply offset the cost of disposal for DIY waste brought to the sites,” the council explained.
In the Litter Strategy, the Government suggests that charging for waste at household waste recycling centres (HWRCs) “can inconvenience residents and make disposing of their waste more difficult. There is also a risk these charges can be counterproductive and simply transfer costs to dealing with additional fly‑tipping and littering.”
However, a survey by resources charity WRAP claimed that there is limited evidence to link charging at civic amenity sites with an increase in fly-tipping (see letsrecycle.com story).
Concerns
Concerns about the charges have been raised both by councillors and the general public.
An online petition was launched by residents calling for the council to reverse the charges at HWRCs, which has received over 6,500 signatures. “A main concern that many have is the impact on fly tipping and that this will only increase,” the petition states.
The charges for all DIY waste at HWRCs were introduced by Norfolk county council in April 2018
During a meeting of Norfolk county council on 8 May, Councillor Aquarone asked the leader of the council whether councilors, would be able to claim on their members expenses for “the cost of safely disposing of the large amounts of correspondence and photographs received about increased fly tipping since the DIY waste charges had been introduced”.
At an earlier meeting of the council’s environment committee, the chairman of the committee was unable to confirm the total income for the month of April 2018 for the new charges introduced.
The chairman also suggested it was too early to confirm the total number of flytipping incidents reported in Norfolk in April 2018, compared to the same month the previous year.
Compliant
The issue was also raised by Norfolk MP Norman Lamb earlier this year, who questioned environment minister, Dr Therese Coffey, over whether the introduction of the charges are compliant with Defra policy.
And, it is understood that Mr Lamb sent a letter to the council last month, urging the authority to rethink its decision to impose the charges.
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Source: letsrecycle.com Waste Managment
