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Recycling levels treble but Labour still to impose pay-as-you-throw rubbish tax STEVE DOUGHTY Householders recycle almost three times more rubbish than they did six years ago, according to figures published yesterday. And the amount of refuse sent to landfill sites dropped to the lowest level in more than 20 years. But ministers said they were still determined to press ahead with pay-as-you-throw rubbish taxes that will penalise families and probably see a rise in council tax bills. Laws giving councils the power to bring in rubbish charges were included in yesterday's Queen's Speech.
A spokesman for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, said: "The environmental and economic imperatives to reduce waste and recycle more remain." But Tories said the latest recycling figures showed that pay-as-you-throw is no more than a stealth tax. The Government figures showing that millions of families are voluntarily joining recycling schemes were made public without fanfare as the pay-as-you-throw laws were announced. The amount of refuse sent to landfill last year dropped by a million tons - well over the rate needed to avoid the threat of £180million a year in European Union fines after 2013. Less than 17million tons of rubbish went to landfill last year, down from more than 22million tons six years ago.
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