BIN COLLECTIONS CHANGE DEFENDED

Environment minister Ben Bradshaw said there was "no evidence" that removing food and other general waste fortnightly posed a health risk.

As many as four in 10 local authorities have now dropped the conventional collection routine in a bid to boost recycling. Items such as glass and cans are now often gathered one week, and other rubbish the next.

But the change has sparked opposition from some householders who believe the move encourages vermin, as well as allowing refuse which has been hanging around to start smelling.

The row was fuelled further when it emerged that a Whitehall Quango had advised councils not to switch to "alternate" collections in the run-up to local elections, in order to avoid sparking controversy.

The Waste and Resources Action Programme (Wrap) also told local authorities they should start any fortnightly schemes in the autumn, winter or early spring, in order to ensure they are well embedded before the summer, when potential problems would be at their worst.

In guidance to local authorities obtained by the Daily Telegraph, Wrap said: "The timing of local elections may affect your thinking on when best to introduce the concept to members and to the public.

"As an AWC (alternate weekly collection) is such a high-profile change in service provision, a party in opposition can use the change for political gain. This can cause unnecessary public opposition."

However, Mr Bradshaw told GMTV: "There's no evidence - and we have commissioned independent research - of more health risks from alternate weekly collections. If you manage your waste properly, you don't have a problem."

He also played down speculation that the Government wanted to introduce a pay-as-you-throw system where people would be charged by councils based on their recycling habits and the volume of waste they produced.