Friday, March 05, 2010

Tracking Trash

Yikes.  Expect someone to propose this in some American community soon.

It’s the new front in the nanny state: Microchips placed in garbage bins to monitor how much people throw away.

A pro-privacy group warns in a new report that more than 2.6 million of the chips have been surreptitiously installed in what is seen as a first step toward charging those who toss too much.

Proponents say it’s a bid to push recycling. Opponents say it stinks.

“They should mind their own business,” said Terry Williams, an unemployed Londoner who thinks the government is meddling. “I believe they have gone too far. It’s not like we are throwing away anything that is illegal.”

The advocacy group Big Brother Watch found through a series of Freedom of Information requests that many local governments, called councils in Britain, are installing the microchips in trash cans distributed to households, but in most cases have not yet activated them — in part because officials know the move would be unpopular.

“They are waiting for the political climate to change before they start using them,” said campaign director Dylan Sharpe, who predicted that families that produce large amounts of garbage would be fined.

(10) Comments
Posted by Owen at 2253 hrs
Culture + Foreign Affairs

  1. Makes me love that Audi commercial even more.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 06, 2010 at 0738 hrs


  2. This means that someone who picks up trash while walking through their neighborhood and throws it in their garbage because they are trying to help the environment becomes a villain in the eyes of the environmental police because they are “creating”  too much garbage.  Talk about an disincentive to being a good neighbor and actual environmental activist.  Once again, those who believe in big brother don’t look at the actual effects of their shortsighted policies.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 06, 2010 at 0815 hrs


  3. I agree djmamayek—did they know how prophetic it is becoming?

    But couldn’t you see this happening in Taxconsin—instead of continually raising the tipping fees, install these and bill people on their property tax bills ...

    Posted by hsgbdmama on March 06, 2010 at 0819 hrs


  4. Do you guys realize that you’re all generating worst-case scenarios based on a rumor and your own insecurities?  There’s no proff that there are microchips.  There’s no plan to monitor garbage.  And yet, you want to run around hollering that the sky is falling.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 06, 2010 at 0919 hrs


  5. Rumors grumps? Really? Then the entire article is false? None of this is happening in England and Ireland at all? Well I feel good already, because you know, had it been going on in Europe, and so many people want to base our lives and society on the European models, then we have nothing to worry about at all.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 06, 2010 at 1235 hrs


  6. Grumps, did you read the article—especially this part:

    The advocacy group Big Brother Watch found through a series of Freedom of Information requests that many local governments, called councils in Britain, are installing the microchips in trash cans distributed to households, but in most cases have not yet activated them — in part because officials know the move would be unpopular.

    The trash microchips are now part of the British information grid, which already includes a heavy reliance on closed-circuit television surveillance and cameras to monitor the population, particularly on the crowded public transportation system.

    They HAVE been installed, and according to the article, this has been done for eight years.  With the information obtained through the FOI requests, there is PROOF.  Most have not been turned on yet, but there are plans to once the political climate changes.

    Posted by hsgbdmama on March 06, 2010 at 1524 hrs


  7. Of *course* grumps didn’t read the article.  He can’t be having his worldview called into question with pesky little things like facts, can he?

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 06, 2010 at 1635 hrs


  8. I am not sure what you expect from a public union employee. It has not been confirmed by da union so it is not true.

    Posted by fishaddict on March 07, 2010 at 0910 hrs


  9. I should say confirmed and ratified by da union.

    Posted by fishaddict on March 07, 2010 at 0910 hrs


  10. I prefer user fees, especially when they are accurately assessed?

    These one size fits all trash fees smack of socialism to me.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 07, 2010 at 1016 hrs


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