Published Date:
09 March 2010
MORE Big Brother microchips than ever are being used to spy on people putting rubbish in their wheelie bins.
Thousands of bins across Lancashire are equipped with the devices which allow council bosses to monitor exactly what is being thrown away.
Many have been activated, while other councils have the chips in place for possible future use.
Councils in Lancaster and the Ribble Valley are using the chips. Lancaster City Council has spent £100,000 in the past 12 months on microchips for 100,000 bins.
A spokesman for Lancaster City Council said: "It was easier to get the chips than install them later on. We don't monitor the chips as we don't have the facilities to do that."
In West Lancashire, the council admitted some residents have removed the chips.
The findings were uncovered by privacy campaigners at Big Brother Watch.
Director Alex Deane said: "Councils are waiting until the public aren't watching to begin surveillance on our waste habits and introducing punitive taxes on waste.
"If local authorities have no intention to monitor our waste, then they should end the surreptitious installation of chips."
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Last Updated:
09 March 2010 3:59 PM
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Source:
n/a
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Location:
Morecambe
