David Moir

Head of Policy & Public Affairs

Charity shops prevent waste• 250,000t of textiles each year• Over 21,000t of books• Sale in-store• Bagged for reuse elsewhere• Bagged for recycling• Only 6% of textiles donations go to waste

Waste charging legislationSchedules 1&2 to the Controlled Waste Regulations – classes of waste

Waste from charity shops is household waste

Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1962 – “charitable purpose”

Charity shops serve a charitable purpose

Schedule 1

“Waste from premises occupied by a charity and wholly or mainly used for charitable purposes”

is classed as household waste

Schedule 2

A collection charge may apply to;

“Waste from premises occupied by a charity and wholly or mainly used for charitable purposes, unless it is waste falling within paragraph 1 of Schedule 1”

Charging for household waste

Authorities can charge for collection only

Under no circumstances can disposal charges ever be applied to household waste

Local authority behaviour

• Good guys charge for collection only: really good guys don’t charge at all• Some offer a limited free service, then charge for collection & disposal• The really bad guys charge for collection and disposal on the lot

Scottish authorities – good guysNo charges Collection charge only

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar Aberdeen

East Dunbartonshire Argyll and Bute

East Lothian Clackmannanshire (some free)

Falkirk Glasgow

Midlothian Highland

Moray North Ayrshire

Renfrewshire

Shetland Islands

South Lanarkshire

Stirling

West Dunbartonshire

Scottish authorities – bad guysCollection & disposal Some free, then charge for both

Dundee Aberdeenshire

Orkney Islands Angus

Perth and Kinross Dumfries and Galloway

Scottish Borders Edinburgh

West Lothian

For other authorities, policy is unclear. We will check – so should you.

“Reasons” for overcharging• Charity shops are commercial premises

They’re not – they serve a charitable purpose• Charity shops produce too much waste

Shops only put out what can’t be reused or recycled. It would have ended up in landfill otherwise

“Reasons” for overcharging #2

• We provide free disposal facilities

Which is nice, but has nothing to do with collection charges• We need to cover disposal costs including landfill

There should never be disposal costs for household waste. Landfill taxes don’t apply to household waste

“Reasons” for overcharging #3• Only religious premises are exempt from charging

This is not about exemptions, but about fair charges within the Regulations

• The council taxpayer should not have to pay

If authorities had charged correctly in the first place, and set their budgets accordingly, there would be no need for any adjustment. Charity shops and council taxpayers should not be penalised for this failure

Costs

Based on member returns, on average;

Collection=£400 pa

Disposal=£400 pa

Incorrect charging will double your bill

Campaign•Wrote to all authorities•Follow-up with authorities•Wrote to the Executive•Met the Executive on 26/2•Met COSLA on 26/2•Saved over £125,000 pa in England so far•Moving the campaign up a gear

What you can do

Write to your authority – standard letter on the website

Try your MSP, MP & Councillor

Log actions & replies on the website database

Speak to David - 020 7255 4483: david@charityshops.org.uk

European definition of waste•Waste Framework Directive – 1975

•Defined “waste”

•European Court of Justice rulings

•New Waste Framework Directive – 2007

Key concerns• ECJ – donations may be treated as waste• No provision for reuse of non-waste – eg donations• No recognition of the key inputs from charity shops and other reusers• SEPA definition of waste

Possible outcomes• Bags of donations are “waste” or are fly-

tipped

• Sales will be of “recovered waste”, not quality second hand goods

• All shops become waste carriers

• All shops will need to register as exempt

Actions•Response to DEFRA consultation•Ongoing lobbying of DEFRA•Meeting with SEPA on 26/2•Keeping in touch with others – eg CRNS•RREUSE network•Lobbied Caroline Jackson MEP

STOP PRESS• SEPA cannot change their

definition of donations as waste, BUT

• Keen to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with us to make sure impacts on Scottish shops are minimised

• We’ll keep you informed

Waste not, want notCharity shops don’t produce waste – they prevent it

Charity shops reuse and recycle

Vital funds and environmental gain

Reducing carbon footprint

Ethical shopping