According to a survey by the Local Government Association (LGA), councils being banned from charging households to dispose of DIY waste at recycling centres could result in the closure of some HWRCs and reduced operating hours in certain council areas.
In June, Environment Minister Rebecca Pow announced that households would no longer be required to pay for the disposal of DIY waste at HWRCs.
A snapshot survey conducted by the National Association of Waste Disposal Organisations and the LGA found that one-third of the impacted councils would consider closing recycling centres, over a quarter would consider reducing the opening hours and a quarter would consider reducing the material types they accept due to the reduced income from the change.
The LGA has urged the Government to reverse the plans as the organisation claims it will cost some councils upwards of £1 million.
According to the survey, 97% of the respondents do not expect the ban on charges to be offset by savings in dealing with fly-tipping or elsewhere.
Finally, the survey shows that three in four councils impacted fear that the ban will lead to large, wider increases in costs beyond the loss of income. The LGA says this is partly due to the risk of small commercial operators masquerading as households.
Cllr Darren Rodwell, environment spokesperson for the LGA, commented: “Public satisfaction with local waste services remains high, which is something councils are proud of and work hard to maintain.
“For many councils, reducing their abilities to charge for the disposal of DIY waste will lead to funding reductions that will have to be passed on to reduced waste services popular with our residents.
“We continue to seek genuine solutions to fly-tipping and are pressing for tougher sentencing and greater use of tracking technology. We are urging the Government to rethink this plan; it is not a good time to be reducing waste services popular with our residents.”
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