A recent news article from the BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7747853.stm) seems to suggest that there is some degree of support for variable charging (a.k.a. ‘pay as you throw’) for waste collection.
With the Climate Change Bill now passed, the road is clear for DEFRA to proceed with the 5 pilot projects they intend to run over the next 3 years. Look out for more posts here as the situation develops.