SIC unlikely to consider charging people for using dump
SHETLAND Islands Council (SIC) is unlikely to consider introducing charges for household waste disposal at the dump in Lerwick.
Environment and estate operations manager Carl Symons said in a letter to Lerwick Community Council that charges could create a “financial barrier to responsible disposal” and add extra layers of administration.
The idea of a subscription fee at the Gremista Waste Management Facility reared its head again a few months ago following a news report on a number of savings proposals or income-raising measures suggested by the council, and subsequent social media discussion.
This list, which covers a range of services and was compiled by council officers, was first made public back in February when the council was setting its budget for 2026/27.
It was said at the time that many of the ideas would be ultimately be ruled out, with some – including closing the dump on Sundays and ending grasscutting in graveyards – already scrubbed off the list by elected members.
Chair of the SIC’s environment and transport committee Moraig Lyall then said she would not support the idea of introducing a charge at the facility, known informally as the dump.
At the dump the public can drop off a range of waste, from general items and electrical goods to wood and garden materials, with rubbish burned in the nearby incinerator where possible.
Any commercial or industrial waste must go over a weighbridge.
In his letter to Lerwick community councillors Symons appeared to all but rule out the idea of a charge or fee for household waste as he sought to reassure members.
It comes after Lerwick Community Council members expressed concern about the idea at a previous meeting.
“Experience elsewhere suggests that schemes of this nature can be difficult to implement in practice and, at this stage, there is no developed proposal to introduce either a domestic subscription or charging scheme,” Symons wrote.
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“Although the available evidence does not establish that HWRC [household waste recycling facility] charging inevitably increases fly-tipping, introducing charges can create a financial barrier to responsible disposal, raise issues of fairness and affordability, add administrative complexity, and potentially work against objectives to maximise recycling and resource recovery.
“A more appropriate area for us to explore is therefore how we ensure that free access is maintained for residents disposing of legitimate domestic waste, while appropriate costs are recovered where the facility is being used for commercial or trade waste.
“As part of that, we intend to look further at how we might better distinguish between householders legitimately using the facility and contractors or commercial operators disposing of business-related waste.
“Options could include measures such as vehicle registration and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR), although any approach would need to be proportionate and workable.
“Any proposal arising from that work would, of course, need to be properly developed and assessed, including consideration of its practical implications and potential unintended consequences.”
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