According to reports, councils in the UK have threatened to sanction those who overload their refuse bins or leave them out too early, under anti-social behaviour laws.
Sanctions for household families are said to be up to £2,500 fines and even criminal convictions. Fines for businesses, even small shops, can be up to £20,000.
Suspects would receive a letter warning them of potential offences, which is usually warranted for offences such as graffiti, vandalism, flytipping and noise.
According to the daily mail, such letters have already been distributed by authorities to suspects in Stoke on trent, UK.
Rubbish-related offences can range from leaving bins out before 5pm the day before collection to having an overflowing bin that doesn’t close.
Reports indicate some authorities have even instructed authorities to rummage through recycling bins in search of items that don’t qualify for recycling.
“It beggars belief that council workers think this is an acceptable way to treat taxpayers.
“One of the main services people expect from their councils is efficient bins collections, and they will be rightly shocked to see their money spent on threats of this nature,” said James Price, of the TaxPayers' Alliance, according to the Daily Mail.
With fewer collections and extreme scrutiny of people’s refuse, bin collecting is becoming quite a problem across the UK, and a solution is in order. Do you think fines and criminal convictions are fair in light of the fight to clear the streets of mess?
