A petition launched to fight plans to introduce an annual subscription charge for the collection of green waste bins has been signed by almost 2,500 in the last few days.

The man behind the move, Tom Gosling, says he is deeply disappointed by the plans and believes the impact of people refusing, or unable to pay the charge, will be harmful to the environment.

He hopes Huntingdonshire Distict Council will reconsider the proposed annual subscription of £57.50 for the first bin and £30.00 for any additional garden bins. Councillors are due to discuss the plans at a meeting on Thursday.

Mr Gosling said: "Financially this is added strain to the many who are struggling with cost-of-living expenses. 

"This will cause an increase in fly-tipping which is currently costly to the Huntingdonshire District Council. Some will opt to not have a green bin and therefore utilise any space possible to dump their waste.

Fly-tipping is already costly to Huntingdonshire District Council in the form of arranging collection, disposal, investigation and prosecution. The effects of fly-tipping have a huge detriment to our environment, contaminating land and/or harming wildlife.

"We are trying to minimise our carbon footprint and this will do the exact opposite. Many who currently dispose of food waste within their green bin will not do so, thus ending up in the general waste bin, increasing the amount sent to landfil. The more in landfill, the more greenhouse gases emitted." 

Mr Gosling's comments have been echoed across Huntingdonshrire. The Hunts Post has received a huge response to the issue. 

The petition has been launched on the Chang.Org platform and Mr Gosling says: "I therefore ask that you support this in form of your signature on the petition to demonstrate to The Huntingdonshire District Council, your opposition to this proposal.

You can sign the petition here

"I personally have been a Hunts Waste Buster, a group aligned with Huntingdonshire District Council, working together to reduce waste and maximise recycling.

"This propsal directly goes against what we/they are trying to achieve. I have set up and/or assisted in the set up of various litter picking groups throughout Huntingdonshire. I have given my all to our local area into reducing our carbon footprint and maintaing a clean environment, and I feel very let down by our council."