Brown bin charges in Peterborough could be scrapped under new government proposals

Brown bins being collected in Peterborough

The Government’s new Resources and Waste Strategy unveiled on Tuesday reveals it wants to consult on the possibility of scrapping garden waste charges.

If that was then included in legislation which was approved by Parliament it would mean an end to the controversial brown bin collection charge which was introduced by Peterborough City Council in 2014.

However, the Government said the policy would most likely not be implemented before 2023.

Its new strategy states that it wants to increase the amount of garden waste used as fertiliser or compost, rather than see it sent to landfill where it can generate greenhouse gas emissions.

Currently there is a problem where residents put their garden waste alongside their general rubbish to avoid paying for a brown bin or taking it to the Household Recycling Centre.

It currently costs £45 a year to have garden waste collected from a brown bin in Peterborough.

The council said the charge covers the cost of running the service.

The fee was initially £39 with the aim of saving £800,000 a year.

The introduction of the charge angered residents who already pay council tax to have their bins collected.

Figures revealed by the Peterborough Telegraph today show recycling rates have fallen in the city from 45 per cent in 2014/15 to 43 per cent in 2017/18.

The new waste strategy includes plans to combat climate change and reduce plastic pollution.

It will see members of the public pay a returnable deposit on bottles, cans and cups – while big business is expected to pick up the price for recycling.

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