According to newspaper reports, the wheelie bin to be given to each household in the district, is for residual waste that cannot be recycled.

It is therefore difficult to understand how this will increase the amount of waste able to be recycled. There appears to be some confusion between residual waste and recyclable waste.

The only benefit to the council appears to be that this residual waste would be collected every other week. However this could be achieved by collecting the present black plastic sacks every other week. The disadvantage to the householder is the length of time this residual waste would be hanging around.

The director, community resources, is reported as saying research would have to be done to counter problems for those living in flats. Perhaps he should bend his mind to these problems if fortnightly collections are instituted.

The idea of every household with wheelie bins in the front gardens or outside front doors for those living in terraced houses or flats is unthinkable. Many pavements are narrow and if lined with wheelie bins then pedestrians would be edged into the roads. Would the council be prepared to accept responsibility for any accidents that may occur?

The whole idea of wheelie bins is as irrational as that of one councillor reported as suggesting people should be fined for not using the black recycling boxes. Thankfully we do not, as yet, live in a totalitarian state.

The problem is that we consume too much. Packaging of goods constitutes the bulk of our waste. Refuse those plastic bags that eventually disfigure out towns and countryside and use a shopping basket.

P NORTON

Devizes