Councils are now able to fine people for putting their bins out too early - too early being before 0700 hours.

If my local council brings this in our household will be in real trouble - both my partner and I start work at 0600 due to working in the 24/7 service industries.

Brian Hancock, Rugby, uk

Tend to recycle 75% of rubbish, the green bin is 3/4 to full after 2 weeks, the black bin has 3-5 small bags and maybe 1/3 full. Problem is that the poles fill my black bin with their excess after I have gone to work, no big deal for me now, but if charges brought it, why should I have to pay..

Steve, Sandy, Bedfordshire

I live in North Herts. When the local council hiked the cost of disposing of scrap cars all the lay-bys around here were clogged with burned out derelict cars. I complained for some time and in the end the council had to hire a company to take them away. Bags of rubbish are much easier to dump in the ditch along these isolated roads... the local farmers do it any way!!
Will these bins have secure locks on them to prevent ‘Fly tipping’ in my bin while I am out at work?
Will I get a receipt for each bin full? Or is it going to be an arbitrary charge by the bin men ‘nudge nudge wink wink’? How will I know what accuracy they are weighing my bin to? What tolerances will be employed on volume / weight? If measured by volume how much compression will be applied to the package to assess volume? Who will calibrate these measuring devices and will we get copies of the calibration certificates for the actual measuring used to have some confidence that we are not being ripped off ...... what am I saying ... perish the thought!

peter, hitchin, herts

It just seems to be one charge after anoher.

There's chages fo driving int London, charges for parking outside your house, there's the council tax which Labour mocked the thought of the poll tax at the time Conservative came up with the idea (it might be known as the council tax but to me it is just like the poll tax), tax on most of my shopping, and now this.

What next?

L, SW, UK

With 2 children I find it easier to discard of the rubbish in one go rather than spend time thinking what is classed as organic/plastic/glass/garden waste/etc. I don't have the space either in the house to create pigeon holes for each type of waste.

What about public bins ie. ones in the park or ones in supermarkets? Would we have to pay to use like we have to with some public toilets? Would there be CCTV cameras around to see what we are throwing away in those bins?

I do think it is important to look after our planet but we have survived for this long and I am sure things are either not quite as bad as being made out or, after all these years of waste, it is too late for anything to be done.

Lastly, considering all the aircraft/cars/wars/companies emitting gases into the atmosphere or pollution, I really do not think that our waste is going to make that much difference if some of it could be incinerated like already mentioned.

Money grabbing comes to mind.

L, SW, UK

No wonder we are amongst the lowest in Europe for recycling rates. At the onset of the recycling programmes many years ago the public were generally very supportive. However, since then Councils have reminded us many times what can & cannot be recycled. Plastic is one of the main offenders. To most people plastic is easily identified but to councils only plastic bottles are permitted for recycling. Now, under EU regulations, vegetables peelings cannot be considered as organic waste as they are sourced from the kitchen and might be contaminated with meat. Please let councils use 'common sense', governing bodies produce less bureaucratic orders and regulations and companies issue us with less packaging and unsolicited 'freebies' and the general public will cooperate without the need for the hidden stick of further taxation.

Stephen Healy, Cranfield, Bedfrodshire

If this article was headlined "Recycle and save money" would you have a different view of this proposal?

If you read the article properly David from Grantham, you would find out that there will be no net increase in revenue from the new method, rather a re-distribution of payment towards those that throw away more. What's wrong with that?

Quoting David Baker, Westbury, UK
"I pay my council tax to have my rubbish taken away,if the councils want it sorted out let them get on with it.
One bin one collection once a week."

How about taking some responsibility for YOUR waste? Are you really too busy and important to decide which bin to put your newspapers in?

Graham, Northampton,

David Milliband is quite right to try and institute plans to reduce energy waste and increase recycling. However 20 years is a long time in politics, and actually the plans to save the planet should have a time scale of about a 5 year window. Reports seem to indicate we only have this amount of time to prevent run away carbon cycle problems.

However it depends on which expert you wish to believe.

d davies, Edinburgh,

Can they think of anything else to tax us on - next we will be taxed on our toilet use. This Government is bring us to our knees financialy.

Chrissa, Carnoustie, Angus

I think that too many people are obsessed by re-cycling, why are we being made to feel inferior because other countries re-cycle more than we do. So what. I don't believe we are running out of landfill sites, I think there are plenty more to be found.

My local council collects paper which is trucked to Chester (100 miles?) and glass which is trucked to Southampton (100miles?) and cans (no idea where they go), and yet they will not collect garden rubbish (unless you pay extra). My local landfill is within 2 miles of my house, can anyone explain to me the environmental logic of that?

Recently I left out for collection, with my normal weekly half black bag of rubbish, another black bag full of leaves, somebody, presumably a council official, tore open the bag to check the contents, it was not collected and left on the the pavement.

Where is the logic?

G.J.Edwards, Gerrards Cross,

Surely, if householders are to be charged for throwing rubbish away shouldn;t companies be charged for creating it? The vast majority of packaging on consumer goods is ridiculous. I understand the need for a company to have it's branding displayed on the wrapping/box for the item, but for we really need all the accoutrements that go with it?

For example, i just bought a mobile phone, the phone itself was covered in a protective platic film to stop it getting scratched, then it was put in a plastic bag which was secured with huge amounts of tape, then it was put in a moulded polystyrene container which in tuen was put in a box so complicated it practically had hydraulics worked into it. What was the point of that? Why not just make a smaller box that stops the phone being rattled around and scratched in transit?
answer. because it wouldn't be big enough for the flashy logo and branding designs Samsung paid so much for. That's why.

Katy, Berkshire,

I emailed Mr Milliband a few weeks ago regarding this problem and suggested that until the government can guarantee a recycling outlet for all recyclables which is available to every council, then anomalies in waste vs recycling will always arise. My own council, Horsham, recycles very little of my recyclable output. I have spoken with the responsible officer and he tells me that there is not a convenient and affordable facility near Horsham which would allow them to recycle more. Previously I lived in Huntingdon where 90% of my recyclables were taken. It is unfair to punish the householder for a failure of government to supply the neccesary resources, preferring to hide behind the excuse that 'its the councils problem we pay them X in subsidy etc etc' So, if you read this - instead of my emaill Mr Milliband, just do something practical for a change, or is that beyond the wit of an environment secretary?

Bill Glanvill, Horsham, Sussex

Surely it is illegal to charge twice for the same service? Even this government can't get away with that one...can it?
We also have to pay to throw away packaging that we didn't want in the first place - someone please tell the Product Manager who thought of giving us all a spirits pourer with every bottle of tonic water that we've all got one now (I will be sending mine back to the company). Why are there no taxes on unnecessary packaging? (or tax incentives to reduce) and why are there minimal recycling facilities at supermarkets? - which the council is supposed to be responsible for and doesn't bother to empty in our town.
It is the supermarkets that should be made to operate recycling facilities as they are producing the and encouraging the packaging.

CA, Manchester, UK

if all the chip does is measure the volume and/or weight of rubbish in the bin does it necessarily follow that what doesn't go in the bin is recycled? Like most government proposals this hasn't been thought through

John Ledbury, Kings Lynn, England

It is true that the more one recycles, the less rubbish needs to be lifted. In our area the local recycling plant takes paper, glass, cans, plastic pop bottles and plastic milk bottles (seperately). We also have bins for garden waste and paper, which are both lifted once a month. Unfortunately, this means that I have to drive to the re-cycling centre weekly as I only have finite space to store the bottles/cans etc. If everybody does this I would imagine that our carbon footprint is somewhat greater than sending a lorry around to do the same thing.

David Leslie, Perth, Scotland

Why is the householder expected to do all the recycling when businesses have no incentive to recycle their rubbish?

Recycling of waste paper at my workplace has been conisdered too costly. Some of it was taken to domestic recycling centres until it was pointed out that this was illegal.

Staff at our local social club take home recyclable waste and put it in with their own recycling for collection, or take it to local recycling centres as the council don't have any recycling facilities for businesses.

Jacky, Bedford,

I agree with Carol, Derby, council should provide lockable bins to avoid "fly tipping" from your neighbours...
I also agree that more should be recycled but there are not enough facility provided like in France or Germany.
Also when I look at my bin after the recyclables have been removed I can see that there is still a lot of “high energy waste" that could be burnt to produce heat and electricity rather than being land filled!!! So let's also invest in incinerators!!!

Christophe, Reading,

I am totally in favour of recycling and, in general, am extremely happy with my local council. It operates a fornightly waste removal service, one week, black, next week green and glass monthly however, where I feel they fall short is in what they will accept as recycleable goods.

Only cardboard, tins and plastic bottles will be accepted and should anything else, such as magazines, papers etc be found in the bin (which last time I looked were recycleable) the rubbish is not taken away, which I feel is a huge failing.

The local government should be maximising recycling opportunities, not minimising them.

claire, southampton, uk

Parts of Birmingham have a big plastic box for paper, and another box for plastics and glass (collection every two weeks) and green bags for garden waste (every other two weeks in the Summer or once a month in Winter) and black bags for general rubbish collected every week. Seems Ok to me.
Charge extra for collection will lead to fly-dumping at night.

John Kidd, Birmingham, W Mids

I'm afraid the latest proposal by this every more authoritarian government proves that democracy is dead in this country. From recycling to 'pay per mile driving' the vast majority of the public have voiced their concerns at the latest plans to seperate them from their hard earned money. As is usually the case it is not about education and encouragement but revenue generation that this government is primarily concerned. It may well be that the public are finally pushed to rebel and remind the government that they are our servants not our masters.

Mr D James, Northallerton, North Yorkshire

Goodness me, lets all take a chill pill and start worrying about the real issues affecting our lives.

Nu Labour has found a real winner with the concept of compulsory recycling because it diverts attention to the real social engineering that they are implementing.

Whilst we are worrying about some council 'Herbert' fitting chips to our bins, our green and pleasant land is quickly filling up with foreign workers.

Half the world is trying to kill each other and the rest are starving.

Bet they wished that their only worry was about recycling rubbish.

alan bond, lancaster, england

more taxation on what we are already charged for. more bureacracy, more aggro, more state control. I agree with all your correspondents. What about the packagers, the supermarkets, the Councils themselves.

According to our local public waste disposal site, we recycle 68% of our waste! Yet, what are they doing now, bringing in more regulations to make it as difficult as possible to take stuff unless you are taking it in a normal car which limits both the type and size of the waste.

edwardingle, Chesham,

Easy; i know what what to do in response to this extra tax - that is, if it is phased in: find the chip in my bin and rip it out!

Annie, Cambridge, UK

What a joke, you pay tax to the government to pay the bin men to collect your rubbish, and then the government charge you again for having had to pay the binmen to do the job. I'm not paying twice for a service that hardly works anyway (if my bin is 2 cm's too far back from the pavement, they refuse to collect and leave you with 2 weeks worth of rubbish).

Sarah, London, UK

Since government are becoming increasingly unforgiving in their attitudes towards peoples' errors might I remind them that we are only forgiven insomuch as we forgive. Maybe if they stop trying to punish every little mistake that people (busy and harrassed as they already are) make, then they would also not be under so much pressure to be perfect themselves.
What kind of country do we really want to live in. I do my best to recycle as much as I can, but spying on our rubbish, taxing it when we are already taxed upto the hilt, whatever next!

Lynne Khan, Southend, U.K

I have absolutely no objection to a 'pay as you throw' scheme in principle, but as I live in a block of flats, the facilities are shared, and I think it is a real worry that I may get charged for other people's rubbish, or be subject to some kind of flat, 'average' charge, even though I recycle a lot of my waste. This scheme needs to be thought out carefully, although anything that encourages people to recycle is, in my opinion, a good thing.
Carol from Derby - try punching a couple of holes in your wheelie bin & then threading a bike lock though, so other people can't use it.

Jane, Suffolk,

How stupid!
I don't recycle cause I don't get paid for it..
I come from Iceland and there we got paid for recycling.. so most people did!
And now I'm going to get more tax for not recycling..
people you're doing it all wrong!

Soley, London,

The majority of this waste comes via supermarkets.
From 1st July:-
-Make it illegal for supermarkets to supply any bags.
-Make it compulsory for supermarkets to take back empty plastic milk cartons
-Make it compulsory for supermarkets to take back all forms of paper/plastic packaging (perhaps giving green points in return)
-Give supermarkets tax incentives (or charge them) based on the weight/lack of customer recycling they do/don't do

If the burden/cost is put on supermarkets just wait and see how fast this problem is resolved.

john smith, manchester, UK

I live in a block of flats where there are communal bins. There also aren't any recycling facilites. I have to carry those to the recycling bins in the town centre. I still recycle twice as much as I throw in the bin.

What angers me is all the junk mail and leaflets for pizzas, estate agents and other rubbish that comes through my door, despite having a sign saying "No Leaflets"

Luke Nicolaides, London,

It will be interesting to see how they are going to deal with multi-occupancy houses and blocks of flats, the majority of which have common facilities.

C T Byrne, Pinner, UK

People have had enough time to wake up to the fact that our live styles consume huge amounts of energy, create massive CO2 emissions and that we throw away too much waste.

I currently recycle pretty much everything and only get my main bin collected every 4 weeks. This is for a two-person household. Even then, the bin won't be full up.

I do have to make a monthly trip to the recycling plant to get rid of the cardboard and plastic, but it ain't that bad. I can easily recycle at least 80% of my waste. I also keep an organic bin.

We should all make an effort and stop shouting at councils and government to come and solve the problem for us.

A lot of people are simply hypocrites: One day they shout "stop the big brothering" or "big nanny" state, but when it's convenient they want just that!!

Be responsible for your waste. It's your fault, do something about it.

Michel, Newbury,

Another backward initiative by the government. Yes the intentions are good but Mr Milibrand you're paid to think,! Think the whole process out before burdening the taxpayer with yet more taxes! Most councils will just raise the prices to cover any shortfalls caused by public service wastage resulting in no improvement in recycling targets.

Many councils don't accept certain materials (plastic bottles)for recycling as it's too expensive therefore making the 'polluter pay' falls on the end consumer, who sometimes have no say in how their products are packaged.

Forcing sellers to only sell their products in council accepted recyclable materials is a must if Britain is to avoid a landfill disaster. This unfortunately must be forced on businesses as Britain has left the recycling debate a bit late for niceties.

An end to end solution is required not some bit part customer taxing opportunity!

Ryan Marais, Espom, Surrey

To John Farrington - if you don't want to be penalised - recycle your rubbish. As far as your children are concerned, who do you think is currently subsidising their education, play areas, health care etc? Who is paying for the tax concessions and other pay outs made to families? Who has to work extra hours, so that you can enjoy the benefits of flexible working, the right to a family live and parental leave? Single childless people like me.

Carol, Derby,

If people are continously taught the importance of recycling then we will all start doing it.I think the government policy will mean more fly tipping as more householders have so many bills already. They will get rid of their rubbish in another way to avoid paying. This is a normal way of thinking especially if you are out of work or in dept. We are all struglling with heavy bils and this wil put even more stress on marriages and life in general.The government should first emphasis the importance and give householders a stated time period to improve on the current system only then should the charges be imposed.Or introduce benefits that would help the community for the best recycling area.People like competions and like to compete. It is a natural instinct.For those who follow the rules of recycling it may work but for others who do not care about the world it won't be a problem for them as they will end up paying nothing. The bin would be our streets.

Simone, kent uk, uk

Victorian property, converted to small flats, has little space to
accommodate the plastic wheelie bins now forced on us, by
local authorities. They now want to expand this ' service'
to other forms of packing forced on us by retailers. Where does
it all end? Could I propose pulleys, supplied and fitted at no cost
to the authorities, to exterior walls, for raising and lowering the
bins, which would be stored in our living quarters, till the waste
removal operatives came to collect. Alternatively hire coaches,
with seating removed, to collect and save on those very expensive
refuse vehicles. Mind you the buses would have difficulty ne-
gotiating our back lane.

Brian Charles Seals, Scarborough, Nth Yorks, England

A tax on rubbish will not encourage as much recycling as it will fly tipping, how tunnel visioned can this government be? How much will it then cost to try and clear the fly tipping, plus the vermin this will encourage.

I also litter pick in my village on a voluntary basis, am I now to be taxed for my efforts, assuming I continued?

Why not tax the manufacturers on their rediculous packaging regimes?

Paul, Lichfield, UK

Serves you right for voting Labour.

Eddie Ward, Crossgates, Radnor

Yet again, a poorly thought out tax to cover the black-hole in local government funding. Perhaps this is another way to raise £1bn instead of selling off Channel 4 or Britains waterways?

Would it not be far more efficient to send a dozen inspectors in a 1-year round Europe trip to 'successful' recycling countries such as Germany and the Nordic states? We could learn from them, their mistakes, and use their communicaitons and education strategies to implement the plan here. Rather than the usual British policy of 'force it through, realise it doent work, embarassing U-turn, raise taxes to replace lost funds'.

K Charles-Neale, Hastings, Somerset

I recycle everything except my ash, but the council mostly forgets to collect it. I object to paying even more on the pretext it's to encourage recycling. Now if they paid ME for recycling, that would be different! Not going to happen, though, is it? It's just a wheeze to squeeze even more from the poor, down-trodden tax-payer.

Andy, Whitchurch,

Smashing idea, recycling needs to be encouraged to that part of the popoulation that isn't sufficiently moved to consider the environement for moral reasons.

That said, this element needs to be educated. For instance, our shared green bins (15 or so flats) are no longer being collected because we are advised that they are "contaminated" with all sorts of non-recyclables. At least some others now have the will to recycle, but putting normal rubbish in a green bin doesn't magicly make it recyclable.

Remember: You can't throw stuff away; there is no "away".

Richard, Southampton, UK

So, whats the law on open burning?

Pete, Cov,

This is just another despicable example of the underhand approach to introduce policy without consultation with the general public. Remember the road tax scheme? The new gantries over motorways have been built to take car "readers" and now bins with chips! Recycling is a key problem but the patronising, clandestine treatment of our nation is just appalling. I guess if Blair can be less than truthful over WMD's, peerages, Berniegate, then doing so over road tax & recycling is a mere formality. On principle, people will naturally rebel if they don't feel part of the decision making process- the casualty

A Thompson, London,

In the spirit that the polluter pays, start by fining companies that send out unsolicited mail, or better still stop them altogether. This would have a beneficial side-effect that people in financial troubles are not bombarded with offers for loans they can not afford, and the rest of us should not be offered such services we do not need. Yes these go into my green bin, but the plastic windows have to go into the black bin along with all the ancillary items, like plastic representations of the credit card you could have.

Eric Pritchard, Clevedon, UK

I assume the Tories are against this as - after no doubt years of saying otherwise - it will become Tory policy in a few years

Rob Dobson, Sevenoaks, Kent

Any measure introduced by Brown, Milliband or Kelly will be an unmitigated disaster. We have no reason to believe otherwise.

Judy , Liverpool, england

My council tax is £1745.12 for a modest terraced house in Oxford. I don't get much for this and even less now that the Lib Dem led council have introduced fortnightly collections. The streets are filthy as we have high levels of multi occupied houses where people have no space to store their rubbish. Street bins are always full as people will get rid of their putrid waste rather than having it festering in their small gardens. The councillor in charge of the scheme has the grandiose title "executive member for a cleaner city" and now talks of punishment and using the stick for those who break the rules! I despair.

Eric, Oxford City,

A tax system imposed on manufacturers where the weight and type of packaging on a given item determines the charge should be implemented. Costs will be passed on to consumers who will then avoid overpackaged products, incentivising manufacturers and retailers to innovate in order to reduce packaging. Unleash the power of the market! Charging people by the weight of their rubbish is complex, requires expensive infrastructure, encourages fly tipping and is probably too indirect to modify the behaviour of most consumers while they are buying food at the supermarket. The current proposal is utterly unimaginative and a waste of time and money!

Stephen Grindle, London, UK

Down here in darkest Devon our dustmen put rubbish from half full bins into other half full bins to save themselves time. Whoever owns the bin that goes to the truck will be penalized. If not dustmen will be really cheesed off. By the way, what will we be getting for our council tax, eventually? Perhaps it is being done to facilitate high allowances for councillors.

It also would cut the need for large government payments to local authorities.

Down here we have very few NHS dentists. How much money is that saving the government?

All part of one big con!

Wellaar, Brixham, Devon

Here in Swansea we still have black bags due to the large number of Victorian terrace houses that have nowhere to put a wheelie bin. I don't see any answer to this one. The Council are also rubbish at rubbish recycling......... The only recyclables they collect are paper and cans/bottles which have to be separated. I used to live in Bedfordshire where you can put ALL recyclable rubbish in the same bin so it was easy to recycle cardboard, plastic bottles etc. as once you'd got it in your head what went in it there was no messy separating or lots of different bags to fall over. If councils want people to be on their side (and vote for them) then they have to make it easy for us to do our bit for the environment - particularly as most people consider they are already paying for rubbish collection. I consider I'm paying for them to do the messy stuff!

Sue , Swansea,

In the leafy world of suburbia the multitude of recycling bins will probably work a treat but in the cramped inner city world like central London where every building is converted into multiple flats and noone has gardens, or any kind of storage space for the bins, where are the recycling bins supposed to go? They already clutter up the pavements of many streets in central London full of the rubbish of passers by which is never emptied as it is not "reclycling rubbish"!

Stephen, London,

As far as I'm concerned, I pay council tax for council employees to do the recycling for me. If they don't, what use are they and why am I paying the tax? This goverment is not "Tory light", as a previous correspondent has said, but "Soviet heavy".

I don't care what the Germans do - if they're willing to be pushed around, that's their lookout, they're used to it. I'm English and I'm not used to it, nor do I propose to get used to it.

Any bets against a nuclear war in the next 50 years? Carbon emissions will be the least of our problems.

Martin, London,

Another innovative tax, we recently had the 10.00 pound sterling airport tax. We talk of tax to reduce Carbon emissions. Now surprise from the overspent Chancellor another enterprising tax to control rubbish... Fly tipping of refrigerators is already out of hand, thanks to the last EU initiative.... Does anyone really believe this "iniative" will do anything other than add to the overspent Government coffers.
Lets tax China, India and Russiaand realyy make a difference to Global Warming. Save the Planet... The Planet's fine and it will still be here in 1 million years, its extremely doubtful the human race will be.

Dave Edwards, Somerset,

What about toilets!They'll put chips on them next.

Bob Madsen, Rainham, Essex

I am all for recycling and I think the majority of people in this country are. I am however definitely NOT for 'pay as you throw' and think it is one of the most ridiculous ideas this labour government has ever thought of.

In my local area (Bramley, Leeds) we have our black bins collected every week, however our green recycling bin is only collected every month. On average we have 1 black bin bag a week but after about 2 weeks the green bin is full and we are unable to recycle any more.

If the local councils are going to start charging then they need to sort out the current recycling programmes. That means, all households being able to recycle EVERYTHING. Recycling collections EVERY WEEK. Then they can begin to think about charging us for landfil waste.

Selina, Leeds,

Here in Switzerland your rubbish is taxed either through the purchase of official rubbish bags or tags that you have to affix. Nobody complains and there is almost no illegal dumping. Rubbish is sorted at central depots for recycling, leading to one of the highest rates in Europe. We also pay council or Cantonal taxes which are used in other ways. Perhaps it is a process or re-education that is required and the UK could learn something by looking to Europe?
For the record I am a 'reformed' ex-pat who now sees the merits of these policies.

Ray, Zurich, Switzerland

Just another way to get people to pay for the same thing twice I'm afraid. Are council tax bills going to fall if this happens to take into account we pay for rubbish collections another way? I very much doubt it. Plus everyone will be paying more for a service that offers less (collections every 2 weeks instead of 1). Where's the incentive that says there will be a rubbish tax rebate if you can recycle as much as possible? Oh thats right, its not possible because it is still more expensive to recycle something than bury it in a whole in the ground. Where are all those inventive Britons that can come up with inovative solutions to problems rather than just throwing money at them?

Really considering running for government as this is just another example of incompetance. The only way to manage waste is to create less of it, and while consumers can chose to by loose rather than packaged vegetables, this needs to be lead by all manufacturing companies worldwide.

Tony, Milton Keynes,

Just another form of state theft. Any excuse will do to take money from the electorate.

If this chargeing takes place...I want £140 a year off my council tax....and I shall burn my non-recyclable rubbish.

That recycling is a good idea...is not really an argument..but as usual the New labour Commisars are using it as an excuse to steal from the public.

Gordon Brown should be calling a general election...I suppose turkeys do not vote for Christmas , sadly.

N Wilson, Bourne, Lincs

Yet another tax to add to the road tax, the house seller kit tax, NI which yes is of course another type of tax, airport tax, VAT which is lo and behold a tax, road tax, council tax, direct tax on what we earn PAYE, inheritance tax, death duties which are a tax, Corporation tax for companies who pass this on to the consumer, we are also taxed on imports before they go for retail sale.

When I wake up each morning I expect to find a bill on my pillow for sleeping tax!

No wonder we need a minimum wage - its to pay the burdon of taxes but will leave little for those one who work to earn good money for this government and its well paid officers. Taxes could be reduced if the government took much more off the fat cat, extortionately paid big business tycoons, sports and entertainment celebs - or at least cap earnings in these sectors and the building trade where rip offs are currently the norm.

Jim Steele, Manchester, UK

It is absolutely astonishing that nobody in the government or these councils has any common sense. Obviously the following things are going to happen:

(a) Neighbours - particularly antisocial ones - will put their rubbish in other people's bins when their own is full. Councils will be challenged in courts by people refusing to pay their waste tax - and so amass large legal bills.
(b) People will jam public bins full of their household waste leading to an increased littering problem. Councils will thus have to employ more street cleaners to rid themselves of the problem - without getting revenue from the untaxed waste.
(c) People will dump their rubbish on the outskirts of cities where there are no CCTV cameras, leading to a despoilation of the countryside, for which council-tax payers will again have to foot the bill.

If the government wishes to get more waste recycled, like other countries, why not copy their schemes, rather than inventing a half-asses one of their own??

Michael Allen, Newcastle,

This view that the householder is incapable of reducing the amount of rubbish that he or she generates is not... er... sustainable. I put out one black sack every two or three weeks; mostly packaging. This low use is achieved by refusing all plastic bags (unless I know I can re-use them), buying fruit and vegetables loose, and avoiding plastic packaging if at all possible.

It can be done, there's so much choice out there and most minimal packaging encloses goods, such as own brands, which are cheaper than the alternatives. Use farmers' markets and vegetable stalls. Yoghourt in glass jars rather than plastic. Milk in bottles. Avoid tetrapak and all foam.

Of course the householder can reduce packaging - it's a question of
determination, a willingness to change habits and to make informed decisions.

Beyond the minimum the suppliers will need to change also. Some - such as Innocent drinks - already use recyclable (and recycled) packaging. If they can do it so can others.

Rosemary, London, UK

What a wonderful diversity of opinion - having just read all the coments. What needs emphasis is the lack of government. Our politicians ( all parties) are not capable of providing sound leadership, and will not establish the rules and systems which will provide a solution to our current problems. They lack credibility, trust, and intellect. We even have a Prime Minister who seeks opinion from his religion (the Americans have a greater problem in this respect.) A practical solution(s) will require compromise by all. What must preceed this is a clear and supportable statement of intent and procedures.

paul allen, bristol, england

reduce the amount of packaging, and most of our waste will disappear over night. Stop ALL supermarkets using plastic bags to take your shopping home in, if you had t pay for them or had to purcahse a paper bag, you would soon cut down on the amount you use, plus you can at least recycle the brown paper bags.
One big question on my lips since hearing about this, has been, what the heck am i paying my council tax for???? This is yet another stealth tax on the UK, on top of Council Tax, and the government wonders why on earth so many Brits are emigrating every year.
Perhaps if the government also stopped wasting all of our tax payers money, on a war in iraq and afghanistan, and started spending more at home! I voted for a Labour government years ago, because i was sick of the Tories, ripping us off.... and labour wonder why, so many votes have gone to other parties recently.....

Russell O'Sullivan, cardiff, wales

Beware, beware Mr Milliband.....
do not forget the 'tax credits' fiasco
think three times before bringing laws which are impossible to adminster.
help the maufactures/ supermarkets to reduce packaging. Go to countries like Germany and see what they are doing right there and follow their example...But
Plese please Mr Milliband do not bring in ridiculous charges to householders who already pay through their nose for the 'Council tax'.....In the London Boroughs.!!

Smita, Harrow, Middlesex

I am all for recycling and I think the majority of people in this country are. I am however definitely NOT for 'pay as you throw' and think it is one of the most ridiculous ideas this labour government has ever thought of.

In my local area (Bramley, Leeds) we have our black bins collected every week, however our green recycling bin is only collected every month. On average we have 1 black bin bag a week but after about 2 weeks the green bin is full and we are unable to recycle any more.

If the local councils are going to start charging then they need to sort out the current recycling programmes. That means, all households being able to recycle EVERYTHING. Recycling collections EVERY WEEK. Then they can begin to think about charging us for landfil waste.

Selina, Leeds,

In Spain which has better recycling scheme than in Britain. It doesn't need eyes in the bin strategically place bins enable them to be used anytime. these bins with household refuse are emptied SIX days a WEEK the plastic, paper, bottlebatery and old clothes bins are emptied as usage dictates. The general refuse in sorted at the receiving depot. Our rates are separate from the refuse service on a different invoice as is the recycling cost. We don't need town hall snoopers or eyes in the sky. Come on British stop for a lousy expensive service. Mind you the do say you get the government you deserve.

Robert Peake, Malaga, Spain

In Belgium, any bags left by fly tippers have their contents checked to find the owners of the rubbish - the chances are the bag will contain a letter or something with the tipper's contact details - by definition these people are unlikely to have been that careful about what they put in them if they can't be bothered to sort their rubbish. That person is then visited with a very hefty fine. Presumably the same system could be introduced here.

If the system is introduced in such a manner that those who make the effort receive a lower tax bill than they currently pay, then what is the problem? Those that consider that the planet is a disposable commodity to be expended, should be paying for the "product" they seem to think they have the right to use up, much as they were happy to pay for the products they bought in the shops and are now dumping on their doorsteps. That's how capitalism works, isn't it?

Victoria, London NW5,

I am lucky enough to be able to recycle all organic waste in my garden. All I leave for collection is 3 blue bags every fortnight, mostly plastic packaging. Without that packaging I would probably not need a collection service at all. Would I get a rebate? I doubt it.

Paul, Rochester, UK

The worst thing was introducing sell by dates! Most young people throw out food if it gets anywhere near! And who says these are correct after the latest supermarket findings.

In years gone by you didn't eat it if it had mould on it or smelt different and we didn't all get sick!

Throwing good food away is not only encouraging Rats but is terrible when half the world's population doesn't have enough to eat!

Jill Gilbey, Charlbury, Oxfordshire

To answer Lezli, I believe that's exactly what the microchips are for: every household has a black bin; the black bin has a chip with the household's "environmental details" (i.e. council tax account number). When the bin men empty your household's black bin, a scanner on the truck reads the chip, measures how much rubbish was in the bin and you are charged for all your non-recyclable waste.. and of course that of any neighbour who nips out on bin night and empties all of their rubbish into your bin.

Marcus Millar, TWICKENHAM, UK

As usual, taxpayers are held financially responsible for government's failings. It does sound like the perfect way to increase fly-tipping and general littering. Can't wait!

Paul Danson, Birmingham,

How about instead of taxing the individual - which from the exmples already given- clearly will not work - instead the councils enabled housholders to recycle more- I live in Epsom&ewell borough council, pay a fortune in council tax and cannot recycle the cardboard that is used far too much in packaging!
Instead of being taxed on the amount of waste - how about being taxed on the amount of recycalble rubbish that goes into landfill? - and hit the councils that do not give their housholders the option to recycle as much as possible!

Charlotte, Epsom,

How upfair is this CHIP & BIN strategy? To save money, people will start dumping into their neighbour's bins without asking. What are we supposed to do then? Put a lock on our bins?

steve, bradford,

More piffle disguised as policy from this government. Let me take this to another level: Let's say we do fit all bins with microchips to detect how much waste each contains. Then, of course, we'll have to fit each bin with an electronic combination lock (because, of course, we won't want our neighbours using our bins). After that, we'll have to set up an infrastructure to unlock those bins where owners have forgotten their lock combinations. Imagine how much this will cost - and to save...............what?

This government is fast approaching insanity.

John A Blackley, Kilbirnie, Ayrshire

Its a problem that has to be dealt with and increased forms of recycling and encouragement to do so can only be a good thing - we are way behind the rest of Europe on this (largely owing to the fact that our mining heritage has provided us with ample underground space to fill with refuse). I would happily support a system of penalties for failure to recycle, which is proven to work well elsewhere, although a blanket tax could remove any incentive to actively participate - if people are going to get billed either way, why would they bother making the effort?

Tom, London,

Why not combine reduced non-recyclable waste collection with increased recycling incentives and make it clear to people exactly what is recyclable waste and what is not. And simply ban plastic bags from supermarkets.
Direct mail is definitely a problem. Around 50% of the recycling I do is a pile of papers that never makes it past my front doorstep.

L Newman, London,

I'm really quite amazed that Ruth Kelly still seems to have any sort of role in this government - how many of these ridiculous ideas is she to preside over?

Steve, Wirral,

Why is this government's reaction to every problem to tax people in order to solve it? We're now to get congestion charges, we have flight taxes and now this. I'm tearing up my Labour party membership - this government is 'Tory light' !! Where does all the extra revenue raised go?

David, Grantham, Lincs

It is becoming increasingly true that politicians of all description have completely lost track of who works for who and why. The most telling example of course is Blair's use of the armed forces in a vain attempt to make himself look good. Almost everything local and certainly central government does these days is of no utlity and merely entrenches their position (and their feeling about their position) of power. There will be a breaking point and, with so many immigrants lacking the traditional British value of restraint, taken on board through our own sense of worth, it is likely that the backlash will be violent. New Labour really has done a job on this country. As a party they used to want to exercise power but within a British context ,now under Blair's belief in self above all, they seeks to destroy the very fabric.

EyeSee, MK,

In a few newspapers and on Radio 1, this was reported as us having cameras put in our bins not chips. So well done the Times for not jumping on the misinformation bandwagon (for once) but a few more facts as to how these chips would work would be nice. I'm getting so bored with reading how things like this may or may not cost us more when nobody actually knows. I think people are generally in favour of recycling schemes but councils need to make recycling areas more abundant and accessible if they want to avoid fly-tipping. Also maybe if there was more information on how large businesses and retailers tackle their waste/enviromental issues it may encourage the average man in the street to do a little bit more. So come on 'the press', this is a real issue that needs tackling in a positive way, it shouldn't be seen as just another opportunity for the likes of the Times to have a dig at our dodgy Labour government.

Rod Munch, Northampton, UK

No problem with collections all you have to do is burn all your rubbish in your back garden, they will have no need to collect it as should therefore not charge you at all. I wonder how this would affect the environment?

It should ne noted that leaving collection bins and bags on the pavement is already illeagal. It constitutes an obstruction to pedestrians, particularly the disabled. Shopkeeoers in Swansea have already been prosecuted for having goods displayed outside their shop.

Geoffrey M. Slee, Swansea, UK

Let's be totally frank; this is ANOTHER new tax to add to Gordon Brown's huge tally. This time, it is camouflaged as part of a package of measures to tackle climate change.
No doubt the government will have to recruit hundreds of 'bin inspectors' to ensure compliance and they will have powers to issue on-the-spot fines ( another tax ).
So more non-jobs will be created in the public sector which in turn will boost government published employment figures.
Sounds nauseatingly familiar, does nt it ?

Rick, London, England

We absolutely should recycle rubbish in this country but this scheme will only deter people for doing so. Other countries have managed to implement such schemes (eg Switzerland and Northern Ireland) without passing the cost onto the Citizen or 'bugging' their rubbish bins! There are other ways around this for example fining those who do not recycle as oppose to charging those who comply and have been recycling for quite some time already. In addition to this, why not start with the Super Markets. 90% of the rubbish I accumulate is from food produce purchased from Super Markets packed and triple packed and there is nothing I can do about it! Why do I have to pay to dispose of packaging imposed on me? And besides, I pay Council Tax to have my rubbish taken away recycled or other...do I not?

Grainne Stewart, London, England

What happened to the family? This rubbish tax will penalise those of us with children, and favour those who live by themselves. Yet it is our children whose taxes will support your correspondents in their comfortable old age.

What happened to the British ideal of fairness?

John Farrington, Hitchin, UK

Will the money made by the councils from the sale of recycled products be taken off our Council tax bills. I doubt it some how.

wildman, Yorkshire, UK

I've recently moved from an area where the council provided superb recycling facilities. Milton Keynes waste and recycling effeiciency was the envy of my friends and left me with next to no rubbish that was doomed to landfill or incineration - and it was all attirubtable to me as an individual homeowner with my own bins and collection. Wonderful unintentional tax advantage for me there then. Now I'm in Lancaster in an riverside development where the council does not collect individual waste or recyclable materials: to the hundred odd properties along here, this plan to "chip-and-bin" would put me, the others here, and everyone else in this sort of environment - a shared, communal environment - at an unfair tax disadvantage and still not cure the problem of solving a problem like waste.

Gareth Crawshaw, Lancaster, UK

Its a lot more simple here. Glass, plastics and metal in one bin, papers in another, both collected once a fortnight, Household rubbish in a pre-paid bag (about 50p) collected weekly. The more waste you have the more it costs in bags.
None oif this nonsense about weighing it all. It'll lead to 'tears before bedtime'

Sylvia, Albany, NZ

If our glorious leaders had a sensible attitude to incineration this would not be a problem. Modern incinerators are pretty much non-polluting and the high grade energy they produce is virtually free. On the other hand, landfill generates unusable low grade energy environmetally damaging methant and the recycling process requires significant energy and still leaves significant quantities of non-recyclable rubbish that has to be put in landfill.

The simple answer is - "Burn It". Why are we not given this option?

Paul Holden, Northants, UK

Be aware that any so-called 'neutral' application of this tax will also have to include the massive increase in costs to actually recycle the waste at the other end, so it will mean a net increase for everybody. There is also the problem of space - most modern housing developments are no more than plasterboard rabbit hutches crammed onto postage stamp plots, which whilst maximising profits for developers, means the addition of an extra bin or two for recycling waste food in their laughable kitchens or non-existent gardens, will require them to move items of furniture out. Well done Milliband, another vacuous idea from a loony left schoolboy who has never earned a penny in is life that didn't first come out of the taxpayers pocket

Bryan, Totland Bay, UK

To Carol, from Derby

I completely agree - I already have neighbours filling up my bin each week and I'm the only person on the street to put out my recycling boxes every fortnight. I intend to buy a chain and a padlock and padlock my bin shut until I put it out on bin day. If they keep putting rubbish in after the bin has gone out and the council expect me to pay for it, I shall ask the council to supply me with a bin that only I and the bin emptiers can access. As far as I can see, it's the only way for it to be done fairly.

JAckie, Yorkshire,

Once again the burden is going to be on the people. How about taxing companies who use too much packaging? Or ones that use products that aren't recyclable. So much plastic isn't recyclable.

Often we don't really have a choice in whether to buy something with excess packaging or not.

L M, Lincoln, UK

Chip and Bin? You've got to be joking. Only in England would they be nutty enough to come up with an idea like that.

In Germany, you only pay for the collection of the black bin (the one that contains non-recyclable rubbish). The larger your black bin, the more you pay to have it collected once every fortnight. By nature, most people want to save money where they can, hence they'd rather separate their rubbish. And as you can see by those numbers in the article.... it works!

Esther Harper, Bonn, Germany

I live alone and create very little black bin waste but have already had my bin topped up by one of my neighbours on more than one occasion, are we to be given bins with locks on too!

T C Garratt, Leicester,

I pay my council tax to have my rubbish taken away,if the councils want it sorted out let them get on with it.
One bin one collection once a week.

David Baker, Westbury, UK

And how much of the new 're-cycling' tax will be spent on employing workers to clean up the fly-tipped mounds (either the odd bag or great mountains) that will start blighting the countryside every half mile or so?

No doubt MPs will put in some create some tax exemption for themselves in the process as well.

Martin Lilly, Deal, Kent

This is getting out of hand. Recycling must be tackled at source. Packaging is the real problem. Why should householders be penalised when supermarkets, for example, wrap fruit and veg which we then peel or wash. I refuse to now buy food in packaging, or I unwrap it and let the supermarket carry the responsibilty. It has also reminded me that markets exist. On a recent visit to UK, I was given dozens of plastic bags in Morrisons, for my few items. Here in France all supermarkets have stopped giving out bags, forcing shoppers to carry reusable shopping bags with them. Simple. Effective. And the amount of recycling bins here, clean and frequently emptied means that recycling does not become a problem. Every supermarket in the UK by law should have lots of recycling facilities. Are where are the local "dumps" in the UK, which is where recycling can really be improved? They don't exist in sufficient numbers for the size of population... get it sorted!

Hubble, France,

I am not surprised at Gordon Browns backing for a rubbish tax.
As the highest taxing Chancellor in modern history he is using the system like a big stick to beat people into submission.
If he could have taxed sex by now he would have done so.
Of course we must all sit up and take notice of the fact that our planet is wounded and in need of care and attention but surely more positive direction and education from government should be a priority.
By imposing more taxes on an already overtaxed nation the culture of resistence, avoidance, flytipping and much more is going to become the norm.
If the Germans are recycling 58% of their household waste has anyone in the British government thought of asking them what they are doing right, which we are painfully doing so wrong

Leonard, Tongyeong, South Korea

People will simply stop using their bins and will use bags or sacks instead (which, of course, cannot be traced to a specific household). Or else they will take their daily rubbish to the nearest litter bin, which will soon overflow and attract vermin. The whole idea of monitoring household waste is misguided and unworkable.

James Paterson, Cheltenham,

I wouldn't mind paying more for rubbish collection, if it meant that more was recycled BUT I'm worried I will end up paying for my neighbours' rubbish rather than my own. Two neighbouring families already fill my bin up - sometimes as soon as it has been emptied. They ignore my protests and say that, as a single childless woman, I have no right to object to anything they do.

Carol, Derby,

As a single household I know that I would benefit financially from a 'recycle and save' (or 'pay as you throw') scheme and would, therefore, welcome it. However, I do have concerns about how fly-tipping will be managed and any fines collected.

Retailers and manufacturers need to fcus on reducing the amount of packaging they produce and not just carrier bags. For a start, why not have paper bags for loose fruit/veg rather than plastic ones? (Though the option always remains, as a consumer, to not use one at all.... do two baking potatoes really need another bag?)

At the end of the day we all need to be more resource aware, the world is not a bottomless pit - either of resources or of places to bury waste.

Sharon, Oxon,

How much more will it take before this so-called GREEN New-Labour and EU gets told what to do with it's targets and micro-chips

Nite Owl, Ferndown, Dorset

I've lived in Germany since '84 and gradually recycling of household rubbish has been made compulsory over here. Most households must have at least four waste bins (light paper, plastic/aluminium foil/plastic-foil combinations, glass (brown/green/clear), bio-waste (food waste), compostable waste (raw vegetable waste, garden waste), household batteries. All other waste not falling into these categories goes in the black bin & we pay up to 5 pounds/Kg to have it removed 1 month.
All drink alu/steel-cans, plastic bottles etc. attract a deposit at purchase, car batteries require a €15 deposit (refunded when you return the "dead" one). Oh yes, there are seperate "nappy bins" - which are very expensive and a host of special arrangements for toxic or other "environmentally unfriendly" wastes that need to be disposed of.
You doesn't realize what a paradise you live in (surrounded by increasing mountains of garbage!).

Nick Heron, Penzberg, Germany

There are five flats in the house that I live in, all of whom put out black bags for waste collection, on the appropriate days, on the front porch of the house. Just how will the bin men knew whose rubbish they are collecting?

Lezli Tauibler, London, UK

How about manafacturers reducing the packaging. I work for a computer reseller and most of the packaging is totally over the top, for instance a memory chip might be in a box eight times its size.

Colin Hewitt, St Albans,