Charges scrapped for DIY waste

Alistair Dewhirst said Devon County Council made about £1m per year through charges for DIY waste

People doing up their flats and houses will be able to take some DIY waste to Devon recycling centres for free from January.

Previously people taking in waste such as plasterboard have had to pay a fee at recycling centres in the county.

Government legislation comes into force in the new year which bans local councils from charging for small amounts of waste.

One councillor said Devon County Council currently made about £1m per year in income from charges for DIY waste.

People will be able to take some DIY waste to recycling centres for free from January

All of the councils that run waste and recycling centres in Devon currently charge for DIY waste.

The government said about a third of the local authorities in England were charging the public for the service.

Alistair Dewhirst, Liberal Democrat councillor for Ipplepen and The Kerswells on Devon County Council, said the move would help to deter fly-tippers but would come at a cost to the council.

He said: "At the moment Devon makes about £1m a year from DIY waste.

"We don't know how much this is going to cost but it is going to have a significant impact at a time when we all know all council finances are in a really parlous state."

Charges will still apply to professional contractors taking waste to recycling centres

Under the new rules, people will be able to take under 100 litres of waste from DIY work, which must fit into two 50-litre bags and they will only be allowed to make one visit per week.

The council is considering developing a QR [quick response] code system to manage the free DIY waste allowances.

Charges will still apply to professional contractors taking waste to recycling centres.

Roger Croad, the county council’s Conservative cabinet member with responsibility for waste, said: "We won’t know the impact that this change in legislation will have on our costs until we’ve some experience of it.

"We will, however, be introducing a new scheme in the new year to help us mitigate the additional costs."

Conservative-led Devon County Council's cabinet approved the move at a meeting on Wednesday.

However the plans – which have come from central government – were universally criticised at the meeting.

Mr Croad, who is also the cabinet member for public health, communities and equality, said the changes had been “forced upon” local authorities and would “come at a price to all taxpayers”.

In Plymouth, charges for taking DIY waste to Chelson Meadow were scrapped in 2021 but then brought back in 2022.

A city council spokesman said it would be announcing how it would implement changes in the next few weeks.

In Torbay, the current income from DIY waste is about £26,000 a year.

Torbay Council said it would be liaising with other local authorities over how best to bring in the changes.