Council landfill costs increasing

The tax councils pay to dump rubbish in landfill sites is rising sharply. The cost is going up by £8 a ton to £32, and over the next three years the tax will double to nearly £50 a ton. Although the amount dumped in landfill has been decreasing, Britain is facing fines from the European Union if it does not see further reductions.

But a Local Government Association (LGA) spokesman said higher landfill taxes meant councils could not afford new recycling schemes.

Rotting landfill waste produces methane, a bigger contributor to global warming than CO2.

Edward Welsh from the LGA said: "Unless the government fulfils its pledge to return the money raised through landfill tax to councils, an average of £15 could be put on to council taxpayers' bills next year alone.

View Full Article 4^th April 2008

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