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.”

Obama Shunts SkipsForYou

Skip hire and rubbish recycling companies, SkipsForYou.co.uk and AcornWaste.co.uk are up against the most impressive of reasons for having been shunted from their original exhibition at easyFairs Interior Fit-Out. That reason is President Obama, and his forthcoming presence at the G20 summit in London, already marked by protests.
The leaders of the G20 summit have decided to host their conference at London ExCel, at the same time as when many of the UK's most brilliant architects and designers were to be hosting stands. So although some important people may be talking rubbish on 1st and 2nd of April 2009, if you really want to find out what's going on with recycling, skip hire and rubbish clearance, come and see SkipsForYou and AcornWaste (alongside designer and TV favourite Grand Designs) on the new dates of 29th and 30th April.
The G20 summit next week, is however, going to be looking at some of the same issues that SkipsForYou and AcornWaste are concerned with: G20 will be a test of how many countries are still thinking about climate change in the light of recession-busting measures, such as the spending of trillions to bail out banks and leverage the global economy. Talks will also be taking place in Bonn next week, looking at creating a new climate treaty in Copenhagen in December. At these talks, according to analysts, countries will be urged to spend around $2 trillion-3 trillion on "green" causes.
The United States, the European Union, and South East Asia have plans for the next two years to spend around $300 billion-500 billion, to boost low-carbon technologies, improve efficiency and protect the environment. However, many are worried that these measures may be affected by rising pubic debt, despite the fact that much spending would also help to create jobs, as well as ensure lesser future problems with energy expenditure and lowering carbon emissions.
SkipsForYou and Acorn Waste owner Paul Cairns, said, 'Well, we were going to be looking forward to April Fools Day, but now we'll probably get more from the later date of the exhibition - and also find out what news there is for recycling, climate change and waste legislation coming out of the G20 Summit.'