In September 2019 the 大象传媒 Shared Data Unit reported the claim that a "quiet green tax" was deterring gardeners from recycling their waste.
Analysis showed some UK councils were charging up to 拢100 a year for a kerbside collection, despite one in four councils providing a free service.
Critics said the service should be free to residents to reduce the amount of clippings being sent to landfill.
Councils said the service was not statutory and home composting was a cheaper alternative.
The 大象传媒's Shared Data Unit looked at the annual subscription charges levied by local councils for regular kerbside garden waste collections. It found:
- More than 140 local authorities provided a free collection, but charges for other councils ranged from 拢18 to 拢96.
- The average annual charge was around 拢31, with higher costs levied in London and the South East.
This piece of content was produced by a regional newspaper reporter working alongside 大象传媒 staff.
The Shared Data Unit makes data journalism available to news organisations across the media industry, as part of a partnership between the 大象传媒 and the News Media Association. Stories generated by the partnership included:
- The Telegraph: 25 September 2019
- Daily Mail: 25 September 2019
- Sheffield: The Star: 25 September 2019
- Isle of Wight Radio: 25 September 2019
- On The Wight: 25 September 2019
- Isle of Wight County Press: 25 September 2019
- The Lochside Press: 25 September 2019
- Deeside.com: 25 September 2019
- The Northern Echo: 25 September 2019
- Darlington & Stockton Times: 25 September 2019
- The Scarborough News: 25 September 2019
- Yorkshire Coast Radio: 25 September 2019
- Berkshire Live: 25 September 2019
- Horticulture Week: 25 September 2019
- London: 853: 25 September 2019
- Lynn News: 26 September 2019
- Bristol Post: 26 September 2019
- The Lancaster & Morecambe Citizen: 26 September 2019
- Lancashire Post: 26 September 2019
- Lancashire Telegraph: 26 September 2019
- East Anglian Daily Times: 26 September 2019
- Wales: The Leader: 26 September 2019
- Spirit FM: 26 September 2019
- Harborough Mail: 26 September 2019
- The Reading Chronicle: 26 September 2019
- Eagle Radio: 27 September 2019
- Watford Observer: 27 September 2019
- Midlothian Advertiser: 27 September 2019
- The Scotsman: 28 September 2019
- The Warwick Courier: 30 September 2019
- Isle of Wight Observer: 30 September 2019
- Stourbridge News: 1 October 2019
- Halesowen News: 1 October 2019
- Dudley News: 1 October 2019
- Surrey Live: 9 October 2019
- South London Press & Mercury: 11 October 2019
The story was also used by 大象传媒 Radio 2, , 大象传媒 WM, 大象传媒 Hereford & Worcester, 大象传媒 Radio Cambridgeshire, 大象传媒 Radio Kent, 大象传媒 Radio Suffolk, 大象传媒 Radio Berkshire, 大象传媒 Surrey, 大象传媒 Sussex and 大象传媒 Three Counties Radio