Forgery-proof waste stickers for bins to be sold in shops

Orange £1.40 stickers are being printed for smaller 50 litre bags – such as kitchen bin liners – while green £2.50 stickers will be available for larger black sacks.

The new collections will start from the evening of 3 February.

The £85 fixed charge from the States is already in place and the bills will start being sent out from the start of February.

It is expected that 500,000 stickers will arrive this week, with a further million. arriving next week. The stickers are expected to be in shops some time next week.

States Trades Assets deputy managing director Richard Evans said based on historic data, the island would need about two million stickers a year. But it was hard to predict what the demand would be.

He said the bags had some security measures.

‘You can’t get them off once they are attached – you would rip the bag,’ he said.

The white picture of the top of a bin bag on the label has been treated so that it will show up under ultraviolet light.

This ensures that any attempts to fake the stickers will be easily spotted.

Anyone trying to avoid the pay-as-you-throw charge risks a £60 fixed penalty.

While similar schemes have been used before in Switzerland and New Zealand, it is believed this is the first time a pay-as-you-throw scheme has been conducted in the British Isles.

Aladdin’s Cave, Alliance, Co-op, Iceland, Forest Stores, M&S, Morrisons, and Waitrose will all be selling stickers and should have stocks at some point next week. However, the stickers should not be used before 3 February.

They will be sold from a roll, so islanders can buy as many as they like. There will also be the option to buy them in packs of four.

Any other shops wanting to stock them can call 231234.

• For more information on the scheme call 231234 or visit www.gov.gg/recycling. Drop-ins will also be held around the island over the next few weeks, starting on Wednesday 16 January.