Warning DIY waste charges ban could push up council tax

A prohibition connected fees to get escaped of DIY discarded successful England volition propulsion up costs for each households, councils person warned.

Before the ban, which came into unit connected Sunday, astir a 3rd of section authorities charged to dispose of DIY discarded astatine recycling centres.

The authorities said it wanted to deter fly-tipping.

But the Local Government Association (LGA) said the costs would inactive beryllium passed on, for illustration done higher assembly tax.

The organisation, which represents councils successful England, said the alteration would outgo galore councils much than £1m a year.

Suffolk County Council said scrapping the charges would outgo an estimated £500,000 a year, portion Norfolk County Council said the outgo would beryllium much than £1m a year.

Charges to dispose of materials similar paving slabs, plasterboard and bricks tin beryllium up to £10 an item.

The LGA's situation spokesman, Darren Rodwell, said: "Where councils are nary longer capable to complaint for DIY discarded astatine recycling centres the outgo volition beryllium passed to each householders, including households that bash not person a car and those with nary anticipation of carrying retired gathering works, for illustration radical surviving successful rented accommodation."

He added: "Manufacturers should besides lend to the costs to councils of wide up, by providing much take-back services truthful radical tin manus successful sofas, aged furnishings and mattresses erstwhile they bargain caller ones."

The authorities said the alteration was portion of its wider enactment to tackle fly-tipping, which costs the system an estimated £924m a twelvemonth successful England.

However, Mr Rodwell said grounds from councils and recycling run radical Wrap did not amusement a nexus betwixt charges and fly-tipping.

Environment Minister Rebecca Pow said: "We privation to marque it arsenic casual arsenic imaginable for radical to dispose of their discarded decently and that's wherefore we are removing the fiscal load connected doing the close happening with DIY trash."

Jacob Hayler, enforcement manager of the Environmental Services Association, which represents the discarded absorption industry, said: "We invited immoderate measures that marque it easier for householders to dispose of discarded correctly and responsibly astatine their section Household Waste Recycling Centre, which successful crook reduces the accidental of it falling into the hands of criminals oregon being fly-tipped."

In 2015, the authorities banned charges connected section residents disposing of household rubbish astatine household discarded centres.

Guidance made wide this includes DIY household waste. But immoderate section authorities were inactive capable to complaint for definite types of DIY material, nether rules designed for operation waste.