Councils in Wales could face fines of up to £200 per tonne as new statutory recycling targets go into affect across the country.
The Welsh Assembly Government said earlier in the month that it would become the UK’s first government to require mandatory recycling targets for local councils. Statutory targets will begin in 2012 and require local authorities to recycle more than 50 per cent of waste.
By 2025, councils in Wales must recycling 70 per cent of waste or risk facing steep fines from the government. Consultations are already underway for means to implement the mandates, one of which could include fines for failure to comply with target rates.
The Government and the Welsh Local Government Association have not fully agreed upon the penalty. However, it is thought that some form of fee system will be put in place.
The consultation document gave an example of a possible fine system, which would see a council that falls two per cent below recycling goals being fined £200,000, or 2 per cent multiplied by £200.
The consultation, however, also calls for action plans to help councils avoid staggering fees and make penalties a last resort. The move comes as many local authorities in the UK have resisted fees or penalty-based recycling.
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