Bag charges is a test of principles

At what level of cost for each black bag of waste will householders start to think about what how much they are throwing away and whether it can be reduced?

The answer to that question will be different for every household.

Some are already cutting their waste to the bone, some are producing far more than is sensible, some will be able to make small adjustments.

For the better off, a few pounds extra each week is neither here or there, for those struggling to get by the prospect of paying almost £5 a bag is horrifying.

Large families with limited incomes and high waste output will be particularly concerned.

The joint committee putting forward a smorgasbord of options for States members to pick over admit they do not know how the island as a whole will react when the bills start to mount up.

They fear, ironically, that the ‘user pays’ part of the scheme could work too well.

If too many households find ways of cutting their waste output the amount of cash raised each week will fall far short of what is needed to pay for the £31m. of buildings and infrastructure down at Longue Hougue.

They fear also that too high a price for bags will encourage the less civically minded to fly tip rather than pay.

It is a balance, and a decision that, broadly, the committees are happy to leave to their fellow deputies.

States members must therefore consider whether it makes sense to shy away from the principle of asking those who generate the most waste to pay the bulk of the bills.

Should pensioners who create half a bag a week have to pay more so that a wealthy household can keep on thoughtlessly chucking away without making any effort to recycle or reduce their waste.

Deputies can stick by the polluter pays principle and risk the scheme working too well, or play it safe and use fixed charges to spread the cost across all households regardless of waste production.

There will be complaints either way.