Douglas Council is now charging for the disposal of fridges and freezers.
The eastern district civic amenity site at Middle River industrial estate has adopted the practice already in operation at the northern, western and southern facilities.
And the policy is line with government guidelines that all civic amenity sites be accessible to all island residents.
Previously it was the Council’s practice to permit free disposal (on production of proof of residency) to households in Douglas, Onchan Braddan, Laxey, Lonan and Santon, the disposal fees being included in the rates for those areas.
Under the new system, introduced on September 1, residents from any part of the island may bring fridges and freezers for disposal to the Council-operated site on payment of a charge of £14.34 for a standard size fridge and £19.14 for a larger unit.
An on-site debit card payment facility will be introduced in the near future.
Eastern district civic amenity site champion and chairman of the joint eastern district civic amenity site committee Councillor Bill Malarkey said: ‘Introducing disposal fees is a more equitable charging mechanism in that the costs will be borne solely by those using the service rather than this being a rateborne charge.
‘Importantly, as an environmentally responsible local authority we believe every effort should be made to provide ease of access to civic amenity sites island-wide as a measure to discourage the antisocial practice of fly-tipping.’
