Labour's bin tax will lead to more bonfires and pollution, say experts

Around 40 per cent of homes will opt to build their own garden bonfires if Labour's bin taxes are introduced, research suggests.

Dubbed the "pay-as-you-throw" tax, the controversial legislation will allow councils to impose extra charges on households that throw out large amounts of non-recyclable rubbish.

The tax could see some middle-class homes paying up to £100 a year extra to have their bins emptied.

But research carried out by the Environmental Protection Agency in Ireland, where similar taxes have already been introduced, reveals how "environmental" levies have led to massive rises in domestic waste burning.

The study, released under freedom of information rules, shows 42 per cent of households in West Cork illegally burn their rubbish.

Such bonfires have been shown to release cancer-causing dioxins and other toxic chemicals into the atmosphere, and contribute towards global warming.

The IEPA estimates that 73 per cent of all dioxins in the air in Ireland come from unregulated bonfires.

And it warns that the "alarming" figures may underestimate the full scale of the problem – because households were reluctant to talk about potentially illegal activities.

Last night, the Conservatives claimed the research "flattened" Labour's argument that bin taxes would benefit the environment.

Eric Pickles, the Tory's local government spokesman, said: "Whether they can't pay or won't pay, irresponsible people will dump or burn their rubbish instead.

"On top of soaring council tax, bin taxes are another Labour excuse to tax more by stealth."

But supporters of the scheme insist that charging households is the only way to relieve the pressures on landfill sites.

Environment Secretary Hilary Benn will now pilot the charges in five areas around the country.

A DEFRA spokesman said: "The schemes we are piloting are not the same as those in Ireland."