Trash Stasi in UK uses anti terror laws

Daily Mail:

More than half of town halls admit using anti-terror laws to spy on families suspected of putting their rubbish out on the wrong day.

Their tactics include putting secret cameras in tin cans, on lamp posts and even in the homes of 'friendly' residents.

The local authorities admitted that one of their main aims was to catch householders who put their bins out early.

The shocking way in which the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act - an anti-terror law - is being used was revealed through freedom of information requests made by the Daily Mail.

MPs and civil liberties groups last night accused councils of using the draconian powers for trivial reasons.

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Tory communities spokesman Eric Pickles said: 'Under Labour, the rights and liberties of law-abiding citizens are being eroded through plans for ID cards, sinister microchip spies in bins and abuse of anti-terror laws by councils.

'Taxpayers' money is being wasted on bankrolling an army of municipal bureaucrats who have watched too many episodes of Spooks.'

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There is something anti democratic about this strange draconian trash service in the UK. Calling it a service may be a misnomer these days. People only get to put out the trash every other week. In the US in most places you get pickup twice a week or four times as often as in the UK. Apparently it is impossible to vote these nuts out of office or petition them for redress. I think it has something to do with EU regulations on global warming. Whatever the cause, it is nutty.