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steeljack · 20-06-2006, 01:09

Cyfr wrote " I wonder if they realise that a lot of the litter is from nights out (takeaway food etc)
I don't supposed the litter police will be working after 5 will they?"

this is what a local City council near me did earlier this year , not sure if local authorites in the UK have the power to introduce local taxes , but if they have the power to introduce fixed penalties they should be able to regulate take-aways ......if it means prices go up and fewer people eat crap/junk food...so be it .......fewer fatties waddling around, (less visual blight)

U.S. city brings in fast-food 'litter tax'

The California city of Oakland is slapping a new tax on fast-food restaurants and convenience stores to fund the cost of cleaning up litter from patrons.

The tax brought in Tuesday night is thought to be the first of its kind in the United States.

Eateries and convenience stores will have to pay between $230 and $3,800 US a year, with the exact amount depending on their size.

Oakland council member Jane Brunner said the assessment will cost most businesses only 63 cents a day.

"I don't think that's too much to ask so neighbours don't have to keep picking up trash from their doorways," she told reporters.

The money will be used to pay work crews to patrol the city, picking up things like burger and french-fries packaging, discarded coffee and pop cups, potato chip bags and pizza-slice holders.

At the moment, most of the garbage ends up scattered around commercial neighbourhoods near schools.

The local chamber of commerce does not like the new tax, warning that the higher cost of doing business will be passed onto fast-food restaurant customers, many of whom have low incomes.

20-06-2006, 01:09	#26
steeljack God Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: SF/ Bay Area California Posts: 4,002 Liked: 0 times Rep Power: 1338	Re: the bee and pb Cyfr wrote " I wonder if they realise that a lot of the litter is from nights out (takeaway food etc) I don't supposed the litter police will be working after 5 will they?" this is what a local City council near me did earlier this year , not sure if local authorites in the UK have the power to introduce local taxes , but if they have the power to introduce fixed penalties they should be able to regulate take-aways ......if it means prices go up and fewer people eat crap/junk food...so be it .......fewer fatties waddling around, (less visual blight) U.S. city brings in fast-food 'litter tax' The California city of Oakland is slapping a new tax on fast-food restaurants and convenience stores to fund the cost of cleaning up litter from patrons. The tax brought in Tuesday night is thought to be the first of its kind in the United States. Eateries and convenience stores will have to pay between $230 and $3,800 US a year, with the exact amount depending on their size. Oakland council member Jane Brunner said the assessment will cost most businesses only 63 cents a day. "I don't think that's too much to ask so neighbours don't have to keep picking up trash from their doorways," she told reporters. The money will be used to pay work crews to patrol the city, picking up things like burger and french-fries packaging, discarded coffee and pop cups, potato chip bags and pizza-slice holders. At the moment, most of the garbage ends up scattered around commercial neighbourhoods near schools. The local chamber of commerce does not like the new tax, warning that the higher cost of doing business will be passed onto fast-food restaurant customers, many of whom have low incomes.