Tories to swap 'bin tax' for bonuses to boost recycling - News - Evening Standard
       

Tories to swap 'bin tax' for bonuses to boost recycling

Londoners who recycle their rubbish could be paid up to £25 a month under Tory plans to boost the environment.

Shadow Chancellor George Osborne said he wanted to use US-style schemes to reward people who sort their rubbish.

The new approach would replace the current "bin tax" culture where residents are fined for breaking council rules on what to put in their dustbins.

Mr Osborne is expected to work with Mayor Boris Johnson and the Local Government Association to implement the plans.

In a speech to the Green Alliance today, Mr Osborne said that fines were likely to lead to fly-tipping, whereas rewards could increase recycling rates.

He called the Government's approach to recycling "old fashioned". Mr Osborne added that the Tories would keep landfill taxes high in order to encourage businesses to recycle.

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