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Pay homes to recycle, say Tories Pay homes to recycle, say Tories
(about 2 hours later)
People who recycle household waste could get up to £130 a year in shopping vouchers under the Tories, under plans outlined by the shadow chancellor. People who recycle household waste would get up to £130 a year in shopping vouchers under the Tories, George Osborne has said.
The Conservatives have been piloting the American-style scheme in Berkshire and say they would help roll it out to councils across Britain. They have been piloting the US-style scheme in Berkshire and say they would roll it out to councils across Britain.
In a speech George Osborne said the Tories would pay people to recycle, not "punish them" with "bin taxes". In a speech the shadow chancellor said a Conservative government would reward people who recycled, not "punish them" with "bin taxes".
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband described Mr Osborne's comments as "greenwash".Energy Secretary Ed Miliband described Mr Osborne's comments as "greenwash".
The UK must reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill by nearly two-thirds by 2020 to meet EU targets.The UK must reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill by nearly two-thirds by 2020 to meet EU targets.
Recycling pointsRecycling points
Since March Conservative-controlled Windsor and Maidenhead Council has been working with a US company which specialises in "pay to recycle" schemes in America - funded by savings in landfill tax.Since March Conservative-controlled Windsor and Maidenhead Council has been working with a US company which specialises in "pay to recycle" schemes in America - funded by savings in landfill tax.
The Tories say it has encouraged households to boost their recycling by 30% and the average household is on course to receive £130 a year in vouchers.The Tories say it has encouraged households to boost their recycling by 30% and the average household is on course to receive £130 a year in vouchers.
I want a Conservative Treasury to be in the lead of developing the low carbon economy and financing a green recovery George Osborne At the moment it's all about pain not gain George Osborne
Points earned through recycling are redeemed online and spent in local shops, including Marks and Spencer.Points earned through recycling are redeemed online and spent in local shops, including Marks and Spencer.
Rolling out the scheme was one of several environmental pledges outlined by Mr Osborne in a speech at Imperial College London.Rolling out the scheme was one of several environmental pledges outlined by Mr Osborne in a speech at Imperial College London.
He also pledged to cut carbon emissions from government departments by 10% in the first year of a Conservative administration - which he said would save £300m a year. "At the moment it's all about pain not gain. If you don't recycle enough, Labour ministers say: 'We will punish you with bin taxes' but we all know that carrots work better than sticks," he said.
Departments that do not make savings would be given less money to spend on energy bills by the Treasury, he says. "So I say reward people who do recycle with £130 a year on average for every family that does their bit."
Green ISAs 'Real time' consumption
Ahead of his speech Mr Osborne accused Labour of being "too negative" in its attitude to the environment, relying on taxation rather than incentives to change people's habits. Mr Osborne also pledged to cut carbon emissions from government departments by 10% in the first year of a Conservative administration - which he said would save £300m each year.
He said the party was "deadly serious" about the "challenging" target and was prepared to use the "clout of the Treasury" to ensure departments met it - by telling them they will be given less money to spend on energy bills.
He said that the Conservatives would publish online, in "real time", the energy consumption of all Whitehall departments.He said that the Conservatives would publish online, in "real time", the energy consumption of all Whitehall departments.
Why should anyone believe a piece of greenwash from George Osborne? Ed Miliband, Energy and Climate Change Secretary
And every home would be offered a "smart meter" - allowing them to compare how much energy they were using with similar properties and encouraging them to bring it down.
Other plans include setting up a "green investment bank" to help get private money to finance new green technology companies and introducing "green ISAs" allowing people to save money in tax-free accounts that will be used to invest in green companies.Other plans include setting up a "green investment bank" to help get private money to finance new green technology companies and introducing "green ISAs" allowing people to save money in tax-free accounts that will be used to invest in green companies.
Why should anyone believe a piece of greenwash from George Osborne? Ed MilibandEnergy and Climate Change Secretary
Mr Osborne accused Alistair Darling of being "at best indifferent, at worst obstructive" on environmental issues.Mr Osborne accused Alistair Darling of being "at best indifferent, at worst obstructive" on environmental issues.
"That attitude is going to change if the government changes," he said.
"I want a Conservative Treasury to be in the lead of developing the low carbon economy and financing a green recovery."
Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband criticised the Conservative policy, saying it involved no new money.
'Good idea''Good idea'
"The truth is that the Tories have opposed Labour's extra public investment, including the £400m allocated at the time of the budget for new green industries," said the climate change secretary. But Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband criticised the Conservative policy, saying it involved no new money.
"The truth is that the Tories have opposed Labour's extra public investment, including the £400m allocated at the time of the budget for new green industries," Mr Miliband said.
"So why should anyone believe a piece of greenwash from George Osborne?""So why should anyone believe a piece of greenwash from George Osborne?"
The Lib Dems' energy spokesman Simon Hughes said: "George Osborne's decision to back a 10% cut in the emissions of government departments is a good idea now and was a good idea one month ago when he and his leader failed to vote for a Liberal Democrat motion that would have done exactly this." The Lib Dems' energy spokesman Simon Hughes said: "George Osborne's decision to back a 10% cut in the emissions of government departments is a good idea now and was a good idea one month ago when he and his leader failed to vote for a Liberal Democrat motion that would have done exactly this.
"It's a pity the Tories' deeds so often fail to match their words.""It's a pity the Tories' deeds so often fail to match their words."
Mike Webster, a spokesman for the charity Waste Watch, had some concerns about rewarding people for recycling.
He told the BBC: "Although the scheme will encourage people to recycle more, it does not actually encourage them to produce less waste. You could even say that it is encouraging people to produce waste by paying them."
But he acknowledged that many local authorities, especially ones in inner cities, were failing to increase recycling rates, and that many traditional methods had failed.