This morning’s outcry about the increase in the number of councils installing microchips in people’s bins is a heap of rubbish (pun absolutely intended). Privacy campaign group Big Brother Watch denounced the growing numbers of these microchips, now installed in 2.6 million bins across 68 local authorities. But why?
We clearly consume and chuck too much. "Pay as you throw" is a great idea.
BBW’s argument makes no sense. First of all, they claim councils are gearing up for “pay as you throw” (and they are presumably against this). But at the same time, BBW’s director is quoted as saying, “If local authorities have no intention to monitor our waste then they should end the surreptitious installation of these bin microchips.” So what is the problem? The existence of the chips as preparation for a charge on rubbish disposal or their existence for no good reason?
In any case, these microchips and any schemes being plotted by councils are a good idea. If people refuse to reduce their refuse out of concern for our common environment and future generations, then maybe they will do it in order to earn vouchers to spend on the high street (simultaneously stimulating local businesses – everyone wins!). One woman interviewed on BBC this morning who is against the scheme claimed that people should not be forced to recycle. But rewarding those who do recycle is hardly ‘forcing’. And charging those who throw away a lot of rubbish, is, frankly, simply asking them to bear the cost of the externality that would otherwise be borne collectively (which is completely unfair).
Other arguments against such schemes include: “my neighbour might try to put their rubbish in my bin” and “bigger families will suffer”. On the first, my reaction is, SERIOUSLY??? I highly doubt anyone would go to that much trouble to conceal their excesses, and even if they did, well, there are already plenty of disputes between neighbours already that councils help resolve. On the second, bigger families do consume more, so I don’t see why it is unfair to ask them to bear the cost of this large amount of consumption.
Our Commission has been consistently clear that public services have to find ways to get citizens to help create the outcomes desired from those services. These new bin schemes are a great way of incentivising this kind of behavioural change. The Commission also believes people should be more aware of the costs they impose and the benefits they receive from public services, and “pay as you throw” makes this completely transparent in the case of waste disposal. Those who oppose microchips and accompanying rubbish reduction incentive schemes have a massive chip on their shoulder and need to wake up to the reality that everyone without exception has to play an active role in taking care of our common environment.
I have no problem at all with councils monitoring how much waste people throw away, and no problem with microchips in bins. You’re right about the inconsistencies in the BBW arguments.
But I have never read a more naive statement in public policy debate than, “I highly doubt anyone would go to that much trouble to conceal their excesses.” What planet are you on? Of course they will!
The point you make about families paying more because they consume more is not unreasonable, but I do think it needs to be thought through more. A family unit is probably a much more environmentally efficient way to live than a single person or couple. Think about it on a per person basis. There are economies of scale in families – cooking several meals simultaneously is more efficient than several single people all cooking separately in separate houses. Plus there’s less packaging thrown away – e.g. a small packet of mince has just as much plastic as a large packet.
Of course you might argume that in choosing to have children and creating more waste (in absolute terms) you must accept the costs involved. However, society needs children, our economy needs them – our species needs them! Pretty short-sighted to start penalising those who produce them.
Comment by Postcode Politics — March 5, 2010 @ 3:14 pm
If it is true that neighbours will throw rubbish into each other’s bins, then the Conservatives are right, and Britain is indeed broken. But if microchips in bins expose this lack of trust between neighbours, then maybe something positive can come out of it. Maybe neighbours will work harder to maintain good relationships so that nobody throws rubbish into anyone else’s bin.
Comment by Lauren Cumming — March 16, 2010 @ 11:23 am