I have read with interest the recent letters regarding the district council's intention to introduce compost collections. Firstly, I would like to provide some background information.

The Government has set extremely challenging targets for recycling to reduce the harmful greenhouse gases from landfill sites. In west Wiltshire we have to achieve 21 per cent recycling by the end of March 2006 at best, we will achieve around 10 per cent by the end of March this year. If Government targets are not achieved, severe penalties will be imposed on us.

We have recently introduced kerbside box collections of cans, glass jars and bottles, newspapers, aluminium foil and textiles to the Trowbridge and Melksham areas. This follows the opening of Melksham and Trowbridge household waste recycling centres in 2001 and 2002 respectively. These measures allow us to take a large percentage of material out of the waste stream.

Our intention is to provide alternate weekly compost and kitchen waste collections in those areas already receiving the kerbside box recycling schemes. The compostable material is collected and processed in a way that, unlike landfill, does not produce harmful methane gas.

Analysis of the average bin's contents show that over 70 per cent of rubbish thrown away can be recycled as we will be providing a complete recycling service, there will be no need to collect general rubbish every week.

Around 80 councils are already providing similar schemes nationwide. We have learnt much from our recent visit to Tunbridge Wells where twin bin collections have been well received. There they have introduced flexibility to cover special issues such as extra general rubbish at Christmas time, and this approach will apply in west Wiltshire.

Over the forthcoming months we will be carrying out extensive information and consultation exercises, including local roadshows. These will be widely advertised and should answer many of the questions raised.

I am grateful to your correspondents for airing their concerns. Their interest will help us to get this scheme right first time and substantially reduce the present 50,000 tons of rubbish going to landfill from West Wiltshire each year.

Cllr Richard Wiltshire

Environmental services

portfolio holder

West Wiltshire District Council

After reading West Wilts Matters on recycling and Mrs Moody's enlightening letter in the Wiltshire Times, I was horrified that the council should even consider a fortnightly cycle of green and general household waste. It appears they have a short memory. A few years ago, we who live in Melksham were invited to have a small wheelie bin for "green" waste, these were emptied every fortnight. This service lasted a few months before receiving a letter advising there wasn't enough waste or take up, therefore it was not economic to continue. From that past experience I would have a job to fill the green bin in a month especially through winter.

Next came the subsidised garden composters and very good they are to, but to be successful you really need two and rotate biannually, using these in conjunction with the recycle centre in Bowerhill for any large green/wood pruning, etc. I now have NO bin-able green waste. Added to this we now have these silly little boxes (which the lid doesn't stay on) for paper etc, etc. This I fill up every fortnight.

The point is I have a family of five, all adults, and after disposing of items into their correct boxes every week I still have a very nearly full wheelie bin, does this mean back to the black plastic bags for the second week? Or is the council going to provide me with yet another wheelie bin? How many other families are in the same situation?

Finally where did the council find the 100 people they used for their survey? Were 65 of them non-householders and school children?

Bob Graham

Ingram Road

Melksham

Jenny Hazell and Mrs Young have my full support in raising objections to plans for collecting household rubbish once per fortnight when the district council introduces a twin bin system. The officers at the district council (not the councillors) toyed with this idea over a year ago.

I raised concerns then about the obnoxious smell which would be produced after a fortnight of hot weather. Now the officers and councillors have agreed that the twin bin system will be run in west Wiltshire I was a lone voice and got no support. I also became concerned that fly infestation could quite easily result and that this would introduce disease.

One privilege that every householder has enjoyed since the beginning of last century has been that their household rubbish has been collected every week. Now we are about to lose that concession even though our garden rubbish will be taken away on alternate weeks.

Brian Mudge

West Wiltshire District Councillor