DORSET Council say that new Government rules about disposing of DIY rubbish at its ten household recycling centres will cost the authority at least £500,000 a year.

The Government claims that by not charging for most items it will reduce incidents of fly-tipping – but Dorset Council says there is no, proven, link between charges and rubbish being dumped illegally.

Dorset Council say it will comply with the legislation and continue to charge for some items, within the rules.

A Dorset Council spokesman said that while the Government's publicity talks about "abolishing" charges for DIY waste, in reality the legislation has been revised to set an amount of DIY waste that must be taken by councils at no charge.

Dorset Council says that any amounts higher than the levels stated in the legislation will continue to be charged for.

Said a council statement: " Small amounts of DIY waste brought in by residents will not be charged, but we will retain charges for materials over these amounts. We believe this continues to provide a cost-effective service for residents."

The council says that as a result of the changes all Dorset Council Taxpayers will now need to fund the transport and disposal costs of the DIY waste which isn't charged for, expected to be in the region of £500,000 per year.

Cllr Laura Beddow, Dorset Council's Portfolio Holder for Culture and Communities, said: "This new legislation simply transfers the cost of disposing of DIY waste from those who produce it to all Council Taxpayers, leaving less money for already-stretched council services.

"Since we introduced charges back in 2016 we have seen no impact on fly-tipping levels, so we do not believe removing these charges will reduce the illegal dumping of waste. The new rules also make it easier for rogue traders to attempt to illegally drop off commercial waste, costing taxpayers even more money.

"While we have no choice but to comply with the legislation, we believe it still fails to provide councils with the tools needed to truly tackle fly-tipping, reduce waste, and increase recycling."

Dorset Council say the changes will mean that residents will be able to drop off – at no charge – a maximum of 100 litres (equivalent to 4 standard 25 litre rubble bags) of DIY waste; or a single article no larger than 2000mm x 750mm x 700mm in size (roughly the size of a standard bath), over no more than four visits per household in any four-week period.

: "Said a spokesman We believe this is the standard approach being followed by most councils – such as Hampshire and Devon – which have previously charged for DIY waste and are now following the new legislation."

Pic – Dorchester's household recycling centre

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