The Local Government Association (LGA) is calling on the chancellor to scrap his plans for an 11% increase in landfill tax as it will not aid in increase recycling levels.
While there is much evidence that the tax has succeeded in boosting recycling of waste materials, including construction waste, the LGA state that there is no evidence that increasing the tax from the £72 per tonne to £80 will have any influence.
Whilst the increase is expected to come into effect next month, the LGA is urging the chancellor to use this month’s budget statement to scrap the rise, cautioning that the costs would be passed on to residents and claimed each household would pay £30 towards landfill tax in 2014-15.
The LGA went on to say that there is no evidence to suggest an increase in landfill tax would improve recycling rates, but that the planned increase would cost taxpayers £200m more in 2020.
Mike Jones (Con), chair of the LGA’s environment and housing board, said:
“Instead of using the receipts from the tax to boost recycling technologies and reward residents for the gains made in recycling levels, the Treasury has held on to receipts. We need a clear indication from the chancellor that this tax will be frozen at its present rate, with the money raised from it returned to taxpayers and invested in growth.”
The LGA represents 421 local authorities in England and Wales and has continuously argued against the increase in tax, stating that there is ‘no evidence to suggest an increase in landfill tax will increase recycling levels’.
There have also been calls for landfill tax paid by the commercial sector to be ‘reinvested in new waste technology’.
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