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| Seattle to fine residents and businesses for wasting food | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The Seattle city council has voted to fine businesses and residents that waste too much food. | The Seattle city council has voted to fine businesses and residents that waste too much food. |
| Under the new rules, households will be fined $1 (£0.61) if their rubbish bins contain more than 10% food waste, and businesses and apartment buildings $50. | Under the new rules, households will be fined $1 (£0.61) if their rubbish bins contain more than 10% food waste, and businesses and apartment buildings $50. |
| The city already recycles 56% of its waste but is aiming for 60% by 2015. | The city already recycles 56% of its waste but is aiming for 60% by 2015. |
| Seattle, in Washington State, is the second US city after San Francisco to make composting mandatory in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. | Seattle, in Washington State, is the second US city after San Francisco to make composting mandatory in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. |
| Composting is the processing of breaking down food and lawn refuse into useable soil through decomposition. | Composting is the processing of breaking down food and lawn refuse into useable soil through decomposition. |
| Up to 40% of food in the US is wasted, according to a report by the Natural Resources Defense Council. | Up to 40% of food in the US is wasted, according to a report by the Natural Resources Defense Council. |
| Only 5% of food scraps are composted, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). | Only 5% of food scraps are composted, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). |
| The city will begin issuing warning tickets on 1 January 2015 and fining customers on 1 July, according to the ordinance, which passed unanimously on Monday. | The city will begin issuing warning tickets on 1 January 2015 and fining customers on 1 July, according to the ordinance, which passed unanimously on Monday. |
| Under the new rules when Seattle garbage pickers see too much food waste in a bin, they will note it in a computerised system and the fine will be added to the customer's rubbish carting bill, local media reported. | |
| Multi-unit flats and businesses will also be required to limit their food waste but will get two warnings before they are fined, according to the Seattle Times newspaper. | Multi-unit flats and businesses will also be required to limit their food waste but will get two warnings before they are fined, according to the Seattle Times newspaper. |
| Seattle officials do not expect the programme to be a money-maker for the city, Tim Croll, the Seattle Public Utilities solid waste director, told the newspaper. | Seattle officials do not expect the programme to be a money-maker for the city, Tim Croll, the Seattle Public Utilities solid waste director, told the newspaper. |
| He added the city has collected less than $2,000 (£1,220) over nine years of a similar programme that banned recyclable items from the rubbish. | |
| "The point isn't to raise revenue," Mr Croll said. "We care more about reminding people to separate their materials." | "The point isn't to raise revenue," Mr Croll said. "We care more about reminding people to separate their materials." |