Binmen are being ordered to act as snoopers by reporting householders who put out waste at the wrong time, overload bins, or leave lids open, according to a Daily Mail investigation. Town hall chiefs have instructed dustmen to rifle through domestic garbage and record where recycling is 'contaminated' with food or other waste.
Freedom of information requests to 264 councils revealed that almost seven million 'incidents' were recorded last year, up from 1.8 million the year before. Offenders risk £60 fines, and CCTV is used to record infringements. In some cases, residents are left notes telling them to recycle properly, but many are reported without their knowledge.
For example, Aylesbury council logs about 43,000 bin issues a month, while Amber Valley council records almost 300,000 recycling 'errors' a year. Jenna Moellendorf, a mother of three from Amber Valley, said: 'It's galling they have kept records on me. I don't expect to be treated like a criminal over what's in my bin. It's petty and sinister.'
Critics argue the measures are excessive. Andrew Allison of the Freedom Association said: 'No one wants to be treated in this way. Councils should encourage recycling instead of turning binmen into surveillance operatives.' John O'Connell of the TaxPayers' Alliance added: 'Taxpayers are paying the handsome salaries of the bureaucrats snooping through their bins.'
Councils defended the practice, saying it promotes recycling, helps the environment, and saves money. They denied snooping or rifling through rubbish. A spokesman for the Department for Communities and Local Government said councils should simplify bin collections and respond to local wishes for frequent collections.
