refuse or misdirect hazardous materials to the wrong sites. Works & Engineering Minister the Hon. Leonard Gibbons announced yesterday the policy would be put into force by mid-summer but gave no specific date. For mixed loads, such as rubble mixed with easily sorted metal parts truckers would be charged $100. Loads containing environmentally dangerous items such as mercury-filled fluorescent lamps, paints or vehicle batteries dumped at the wrong site will cost $200. Explosive materials delivered to the wrong site will incur fines of $300. But Mr. Gibbons did not anticipate an increase of illegal dumping to avoid the fines. "This is one of the reasons why I'm looking for their (truckers') co-operation. Hence the carrot and stick approach,'' he said. "We hope we won't need to fine anyone. It is to everyone's benefit.'' The dumping of mixed loads at Tynes Bay and other sites meant Government has been saddled with the added expense of sorting the materials and delivering them to the appropriate disposal site. "That is an avoidable cost to the tax-payer,'' he said. He added: "Although we have been trying to work with these truckers for some time now, by talking to them, sending them bulletins and putting up signs, we simply do not seem to be getting anywhere with many of them.'' Private householders who hire truckers to dispose of these kinds of materials could also be faced with fines if the loads are wrongly dumped. The minister also announced in light of Earth Day celebrations that the reorganisation of the waste disposal programme was now in its final stages. He claimed it would be "one of the most modern and ...

environmentally conscious waste management programmes in the world''. "The refined programme is working well,'' he said. "We will continue to refine the waste management programme on an on-going basis. "It is a matter of re-educating the public. We are still pushing for more recycling.'' However, he conceded that some areas of the programme, such as the failure to recycle newspapers, had proved disappointing. Additional information is available by calling: 297-7856.