I envisage even longer queues at Eastbourne tip

From October 1 charges will be levied on householders who take certain materials to the council tips, including soil, plasterboard and hardcore.

One of the reasons cited in the leaflet given to me on my last visit to the tip on St Philips Avenue was these materials are not “household” items and East Sussex County Council does not have to accept them for free.

Absurdly green garden waste is household and can still be taken to the recycling centres meaning if you wish to dispose of a large potted plant the vegetation can go for free but the soil it grew in will cost you £4 per bag.

Would someone from the council please explain to me why the plant is deemed household waste but the soil not?

Similarly a bit of DIY at home may result in waste plasterboard needing to be got rid of.

Why is that not household waste?

If not what is it?

Surely the only alternative is that it is business waste, which is patently wrong.

If the council has a legal obligation to dispose of household waste for free as implied by the leaflet then it seems they have moved the goal posts to justify more revenue raising.

I feel a Freedom of Information request coming.

At a practical level I envisage even longer queues at the entrance to the tip than there are already at certain times with cars backing up into St Philips Avenue.

The nice man at the reception cubby booth will no longer simply wave through cars or point to the location of the skips for metal or electricals but staff will need to carefully check every car for non-household waste being sneaked in for free.

Boots open, foot wells checked.

Then a money exchange will be required, fivers given change provided.

More queues more time wasted.

Will we get a receipt and how will the piles of cash be audited?

There will be other unintended consequences, soil and hardcore will be dumped illegally, whilst some clever clogs will dump their soil little by little in sealed bags in the black wheelie.

Will the council now need to employ bin police to detect such heinous crimes?

Meanwhile the brains trust in Lewes are no doubt working on the next money making scheme.

Perhaps a waste carriage licence for all householders to take their waste to the tip or maybe time to bring back the window tax.