I would not go that far. I can support a deposit in drinks bottles as these are more likely to be abandoned. Though extending it to all goods would make it bureaucratic.

I used to make a packet as a kid going round and "getting" pop bottles and returning them for the deposits.

Exactly it would give kids extra money. You need the deposit low enough to allow people to be thoughtless. Too high and they would take the bottles back themselves.

Returning glass these days requires much more transport than it did a couple of generations ago.

Yes but once the scheme is running there will be a lot more places that can use the bottles.

On the radio today they were suggesting there might be no extra charges; rather a refund for people who create less landfill waste. In theory, I'd love a few quid back every year. I don't think I've put my black bin out since before Christmas, so I'd expect quite a refund.

Sabotage is the only problem. People are inherently selfish and lazy, so many petty criminals would take advantage of the system.

Remember, we have an obligation under European law to meet certain targets. If people keep being lazy with their recycling, we'll all end up paying the cost.

Still an incentive to dump your rubbish in other peoples bins.

Yes officer, I do tend to weld next to the bin.

Must have been a big lump of spatter.

As I said, such selfish lazy petty criminals will take advantage of whatever they can. I'm not sure that's a reason to completely abandon the system - just shoot any f*cker that does it, and they'll soon get the message.

If they have to pay more someone will dump elsewhere. If they get a refund someone will dump elsewhere. Sounds like a win win to me.

It also does little to encourage recycling. Many are simply too lazy to sort. You need to make it easier to recycle. Ie everything can be recycled apart from a few items. Then stop the bin collection every week and make it every two or three weeks. But collect recyclables every week.

Have you ever smelt a bin in an area with fortnightly collection in a hot summer?

Or looked in one for that matter:

I've never understood this argument. If you put raw meat in a hot black bin, it stinks after much less than 2 weeks.

Our bins are collected every two weeks. I've not actually put mine out for about 3 months, and yes it smells a bit if you open the lid and put your head in.

Guess what - I don't throw away food and I don't stick my head into dustbins. Anyone who does is clearly a bit "special".


As I suggested earlier, dead criminals don't fly tip.

If I have to throw away food in the bin then I make sure it is well sealed. So after a couple of weeks a little smell, but no maggots. I hate wasting food, a little creative cooking means that isn't normally a problem. Also certain pets make useful disposal units.

:p

When ours gets bad you don't have to open the lid to smell it. Anything like the remains of fish is the worst.