Bin police to fine households £80 if they fill more than one bin in two weeks

Published 04th Aug 2009

Homeowners who produce more than one wheelie bin full of waste will be fined, say a council who introduced fortnightly collections.

Bin police in Oxford will fine residents £80 if they try to throw away more rubbish than fits in their 240-litre rubbish bins.

It means that anyone holding a party, or throwing out large items will be slapped with the fine.

Oxford City Council are threatening homeowners with £80 fines if they leave extra waste out with their fortnightly collection

And the city council also revealed it is employing 'rubbish police' to go around to people's homes and lecture them on what they are throwing away.

'Waste Education Officers' will empty homeowners' bins for them and explain which items they could be recycling.

Officials at the city council said today that the bin fines will stop people producing so much waste but residents say rubbish would pile up in gardens instead.

Councillor John Tanner said: 'There are still people across the city who are not playing by the rules and leave piles of rubbish next to their wheelie bins.

'We are getting tough on excess rubbish because it is messy and costs us money.'

He added: 'If our binmen come across a bin with extra waste alongside it we will put a card through the door asking the homeowner to give us a call.

'We will send out a Waste Education Officer who will explain how to deal with waste.

'They will empty your bin and go through it in your home with you. People don't always realise what they can and cannot recycle.

'If you have want to throw out extra rubbish and it does not fit in your bin, you cannot and it will not be collected.

'If someone is holding a party, the bottles can go in a bottlebank. If a big television is bought with lots of polystyrene then I suggest the waste is taken back to the shop.'

Homeowners in the university city have hit back at the rubbish collection 'rationing' and said today that waste would pile up in gardens if they could not put it out for collection.

They were already furious after Oxford City Council started fortnightly collections in 2007.

Stephanie Jenkins, who lives in Oxford, said: 'Unless and until these sacks become a hazard, people can't be fined for leaving bags on their own property, can they?

'It's an ill-conceived plan. Fine the offenders, yes, but don't leave the rubbish behind for the neighbours to endure.'

Source: ' Daily Mail '

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