Up to 80,000 waste bins in Wiltshire have been microchipped, says a privacy campaigning group claim that suggests a rising number of councils are going to begin “pay-as-you-throw” schemes.

Big Brother Watch has compiled a survey of areas where bins have been microchipped and although many in Wiltshire have, these are only for location purposes. 

Were we to begin paying for rubbish in Corsham, how would you feel about it? Is it a good thing that households are being encouraged to monitor what they chuck away or is this a further step towards an Orwellian state?

The study published on Thursday which hit the headlines yesterday, claimed that more and more councils are investing in these microchips for bins in a step to keep track of the amount of waste produced by households. 

In Big Brother Watch’s study, it was noted that the cost of microchips in wheeled bins in Wiltshire was not known as they were purchased as an “integral part” of the bin price. 

Although the wheeled bins in a few areas of Wiltshire are microchipped for location purposes only, do you think microchips should be installed to monitor what we throw away? Is it a breach on our privacy or is it a step towards creating a greener planet?