THIS week we reported people in Blaenau Gwent could face fines for not recycling.

Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council has repeatedly missed Welsh Government recycling targets.

And now it is planning on slapping residents who consistently put out too much rubbish instead of recycling with £100 fines.

Here's what you had to say:

Which piece of legislation are BGCBC using to enforce the fines?

Be interesting if these fines were challenged in court.

Where does it say in UK law that it's illegal to not recycle?

Monslad

Does this mean the council will give a refund of council tax when the bins have been missed??

Another example of council incompetence!

Bugsy93

So if they fine me for not recycling properly, does that mean I'll get a refund on my council tax for all the stuff they leave all over the road when they collect it??? Surely we can fine them for not recycling properly??

edk50

What about the Fly Tippers and Litter Droppers? Sort them out.

Magor

You don't have to hand your rubbish over at all. It's entirely up to you what you do with it.

If you choose to use the LA's collection services, you must abide by their rules in the same way that you have to abide by any other waste collectors' rules.

Frigid Frog

Councils, if they do introduce a stick should introduce a carrot. For example, in a certain area (as in divide-up wards, or even use wards) give some sort of reward for reaching or exceeding targets.

The danger with wards is where they are affluent wards they will more easily hit targets (use the BMW to go to the local recycling point at Sainsburys for example) so ideally you want to carve up areas, so they reflect the haves and have nots where possible.

Those wedges that exceed targets get a tangible benefit from the council, such as an extra payment to an agreed local charity that supports that areas needs, the improvement of a local public space and so on.

The problem with fines is they cost money to prosecute and in may cases the fine will not cover the cost, introduce a bit of competition and it turns it into a bit of a game while reinforcing positive behaviours to reduce landfill costs for the wider community.

Id be happy to spend 2 hours once a month to encourage my community, so it could be a community led initiative that cost the council less money than taking people to court and criminalising them.

Sparebulb

Like it or not, recycling is unpaid work. Fining people for failing to perform unpaid work is the start of a slippery slope.

Added to this, I'm quite proud of my garden.

Apart from the bit that has to hold wheelie bins, boxes and cardboard. That part of my garden looks like a recycling yard.

SchragMus

Councils are only interested in getting as much money out of residents as possible.

I live in Torfaen and two weeks ago visited the New Inn recycling station, once again the recycling Bottle, Can and Paper bank overflowing where they hadn't been emptied.

I was advised by a staff member to throw my bottles and cans in the bulk general waste containers instead.

So much for caring about recycling only when it suits them or there is money to be made.

DJonny

These lot are not providing the services we already pay for.

You wouldnt go to a shop and pay for something your not going to receive and yet this lot get away with it time and time again.

Tell it as it is.

Whilst I accept system is not perfect for everyone, but suits myself, I know that many people make absolutely zero attempt to recycle anything and I'm afraid that impacts on us all.

Yes we can all have gripes about stuff left after our recycling visit but come on if we all made a bit more effort and just picked up the odd thing it would make a big difference.

I'm always picking up litter on my walks, whether it's in my street or not, whilst people ignore it outside their own gates.

Stevey

Its all me, me, me. Not one thought for social and environmental responsibility for future generations, or for the fact Councils are legally obliged to meet ambitious recycling targets.

If they don't, they get fined heavily. Guess what that means - less money for services, or bigger increases in council tax.

You’ll never win in Newport.

It has a core of residents with only their own self interest at heart and take no wider responsibility. It’s always the responsibility of someone else, invariably the Council to get them a job, to get them up in the morning and to wipe their backsides.

Jimmythe12

What a cheek! Can we fine them when they don't deliver on Services. Council Tax is daylight robbery. Cut most services to the knuckle, and we are paying more.

Madam butterfly

What about tackling manufacturers instead when they use oversize packaging, as we the consumer are the ones that have to get rid of it!

scs70