Landfill Tax Hits UK

Alistair Darling has confirmed that the Landfill Tax is to rise to £32.00 per tonne from April 1. A lower rate of tax, for inert waste, such as bricks and stones - will be £2.50 per tonne. This is the largest rise since it was first introduced as an environmental tax, in 1996. And it seems that the tax will continue to rise yearly, up to almost £50.00 per tonne.
The tax has meant that overall waste recorded at landfill sites has fallen by around 26%. HMRC has said that the tax is to "encourage the disposal of less waste; to recover more value from waste through recycling and composting, and to stimulate moves to more environmentally friendly waste management methods".
The UK is trying to move from using landfill sites, and this may help us to meet European waste targets, set through the Landfill Directive.
"Landfill tax increases the price of waste sent to landfill, encouraging more sustainable ways of managing waste. The tax - working with other measures - has been successful with overall quantities of waste recorded at landfill sites registered for the tax falling by around 26%. The UK is on track to meet its 2010 targets under the Landfill Directive."
Council Tax payers will feel this in their new bills as councils will be raising prices in order ot meet the expected higher costs of processing household waste. And skip companies and waste management companies may be raising their prices, as a result.
Paul Cairns, owner of SkipsForYou and Acorn Waste commented, that although householders may be worrying about rising council tax costs, he would hope not to be passing these costs on: “We’ve tried, right from day one, to use only those contractors that are already committed to recycling and green initiatives. We’re hoping not to have to raise our prices, as we shouldn’t be affected too much by this. It’s only companies that haven’t thought it through, and haven’t tried to recycle that will be penalised.”