I write to add my concerns regarding Swindon Services' recycling policy for garden waste.

Approximately two months ago, I rang Swindon Services for clarification as I had noticed that all green sacks put out for collection in my street were placed in the refuse cart along with black sacks. I was under the impression that green sacks were disposed of separately for their contents to be recycled to make green compost and that the charge for the sacks was used to offset the costs of this process of collection and recycling.

When I spoke to a member of John Short's team at swindon Services, I was advised that green sacks are still separated from black sacks but that this happens at the main depot where the contents are recycled.

However, Mr Short's recent correspondence on this matter in the press clearly demonstrates that this is not the case, and that green sacks along with black sacks are dumped into landfill. Mr Short's justification for the continuing charge for green sacks is that it encourages the public to recycle their green waste responsibly, and/or reduce the amount of waste at home through increased composting and recycling.

Clearly, this argument is deeply flawed.

If green sacks simply end up in landfill, there is absolutely no incentive for people to use them; the public will either continue to recycle garden waste themselves by taking it to Barnfield Road or, as is also the case in Swindon, they will dump it anywhere except their own property or continue to put green waste in black sacks, cunningly disguised as household waste. Refuse collectors have no time to check the black sacks properly because of the speed at which they are now required to work.

John Short's justification of the green sack scheme is an insult to the intelligence.

To charge people for a service that no longer exists and dress it up as responsible recycling policy is wholly unacceptable.

The public need to be aware that every time they hand over their £1 for a green sack they may as well just send it direct to Swindon Services and save themselves some time and effort.

J Whiston

Swindon