Without consistency, the carrot and stick approach won't work

摘要

I READ WITH NTEREST THE LATEST EXCHANGES CONCERNING THE penalty and incentive options for councils when tiying to persuade the public to recycle more and bin less waste ("LARAC: Pay-as-you-throw schemes are a valuable tool in a tool box', www.mrw.co.uk, 26 May). Essentially, the debate has resurfaced because of a Government-commissioned report by the Town & Country Planning Association which said that eco-towns could look at the 'carrot and stick' method of waste collections so that those who prevent waste and recycle the most pay the least. Those in favour of the 'pay' option point to the European experience as evidence that this type of scheme works well. In Germany, for example, recycling of packaging is generally perceived to be free, while people are charged for the contents of their black bag. The anti-pay lobby is concerned that imposing financial penalties for waste disposal would lead to increased fly-tipping or bonfires in the back garden.