Bin Brother to target Bristol families rubbish

Critics of a new scheme aiming to reward families cutting back on their black bin waste are concerned it could pave the way for a new stealth tax.

Bristol City Council could be the first authority in the country to pay its residents who cut back the amount of rubbish they throw away.

So far 68 local authorities in the UK have planted microchips into the rubbish bins of an estimated minimum 2.6 million households.

Bristol City Council is the only authority so far to take the step of seeking Defra funding to introduce cash incentives by using these microchips to weigh the weight of the rubbish in bins.

The measurements will be recorded on specialist software.

To win a cash prize, residents will need to reduce the amount of waste in kilograms for each person who lives in the household.

Initially, the scheme will be voluntary and run for six months in Bishopston, Cotham and Redland.

Cabinet member for environment and community safety, Councillor Gary Hopkins said that the council is ‘committed to reducing the amount of waste going to landfill’.

He said: “The scheme will encourage residents to think about what they are throwing away and act as a thank you to those who help us by reducing their waste.”

Sceptics are not so sure.

Director of Big Brother Watch, Alex Deane said: “Councils are waiting until the public aren’t watching to begin surveillance on our waste habits, intruding into people’s private lives and introducing punitive taxes on what we throw away.

“The British public doesn’t want this technology, these fines or this intrusion. If local authorities have no intention to monitor our waste then they should end the surreptitious installation of these bin microchips.”