Massive increase in commercial waste collection charges

Wiltshire Council has announced increases of up to 140% in the fees it charges for the collection of commercial and 'Schedule 2' waste.

Schedule 2 Waste is that collected from from non-domestic sources, such as schools, hospitals, camp-sites and registered charitable organisations.

WC says the charges reflect the true costs of collecting the waste. In the old District Council days these types of waste were often picked up at the same time as normal household collections, which allowed costs to be kept down.

For commercial waste the increases vary from 13 to 87% depending on the size of receptacle used. For schedule 2 waste the increases vary from 9% to 140%, with the highest increase being for the 120 litre bin - £2.65 to £6.35. This increase is likely to particularly hit schools and charities.

Anyone wanting a second green waste bin will have to pay an increased charge of £33 for the year, and there are also above-inflation increases in charges for bulky household waste collections.

For details see: http://cms.wiltshire.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=577

Picture - Duncan Hames (L) and commercial waste bin (R)