You might have seen publicity as a result of the announcement by the Government that charges for DIY waste at Council tips are being abolished.
The Government’s announcement is welcome news for those undertaking DIY projects as it reduces the cost burden in these challenging times.
However, the disposal of the waste still has to be paid for by the Council and consequently, this imposes an additional cost to Hampshire council taxpayers of around £1 million every year.
The disposal of DIY waste, such as soil, rubble, asbestos and gypsum boards, was not previously classified as household waste, and they require specialist processing. The fees we currently charge to manage this waste helps to cover these costs.
The decision needs secondary legislation, so we do not as yet know the start date for free disposal.
While we support measures to crack down on flytipping, incidences of illegal tipping in Hampshire are actually fewer than before DIY waste charges were introduced at Household Waste Recycling Centres, with the vast majority of residents choosing to dispose of their domestic waste responsibly.
I spoke to BBC Radio Solent about this yesterday and BBC News highlighted it today. As you know, I am passionate about our pursuit of fly-tippers and I am certain that none of those we have prosecuted in recent years would have taken their rubbish to the tip if the disposal was free.
