Rubbish rage: officers protect collectors in Dutch recycling wars

Powers to censure recalcitrant households have sparked fears for workers' safety

Refuse collectors in the Netherlands are being followed by close protection officers after getting the power to issue red and yellow cards to force householders to properly recycle.

The new football-style card system has led to a series of rubbish rage incidents in the south of the country, with collectors threatened, abused and one bin lorry hemmed in to a street by furious householders who had not had their waste taken away.