'Invasion of privacy': Star readers come out against refuse bin inspections
Almost two thirds of Shropshire Star readers thinks the idea of inspectors checking what rubbish they put in their bins is not a good idea and is an invasion of their privacy.
It comes after we revealed that people who put the wrong rubbish in their bins in Telford face fines as part of a campaign targeting the Telford’s worst-offending streets.
We asked readers 'Are 'bin inspectors' a good idea?', with 38% saying yes, they should be rolled out over the whole county, and 62% saying no, they felt like an invasion of privacy.
Star reader Oldlawleyjockey commented: " I think the council should concentrate on tracking down the real scum in this situation by actively pursuing fly-tippers. Instead of just talking about the cost of cleaning up the mess left by fly-tippers they should be tracking them."
But MrW countered: "If selfish people weren't so lazy and disposed of their rubbish in the appropriate provided recycle bins, instead of just chucking it all into one bin, then there would be no need for these spot checks."
On Facebook, Roy Hatfield said: "Council have no money for important things but can pay people to go round looking in your bins. What is it coming to? A waste of taxpayers' money. What a disgrace."
Hayley Spragg commented: "Surely they should only be checking those people who never put their recycling out? I recycle as much as I can, but there will always be the odd thing that gets missed. Surely its an invasion of privacy for someone to go through your bin. I pay to have my bin collected not for someone to sift through my rubbish!"
Michelle D'Arcy Jewell said: "I think people are underestimating the problems that will occur if we continue to throw everything into landfill. Recycling everything that we can makes a huge difference."
Natashia Smith wrote: "I live in an area where there are communal bins. Everyone else dumps their mixed waste in my bin all the time. Annoys the heck out of me as I've been recycling since way before it was compulsory. Instead of investigate you need to educate."
