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Friday, November 13, 2026Nov 13

Waste watchers? UK group fears trash bin spies

By GREGORY KATZ

Associated Press Writer

LONDON – It’s the new front in the nanny state: Microchips placed in garbage bins to monitor how much people throw away.

A pro-privacy group warns in a new report that more than 2.6 million of the chips have been surreptitiously installed in what is seen as a first step toward charging those who toss too much.

Proponents say it’s a bid to push recycling. Opponents say it stinks.