Maggots in bin just unfortunate’

SIR - I would like to comment regarding the article about maggots in the brown bin of a Knebworth resident (The Comet, August 14).

Firstly I am in support of action taken by NHDC on environmental issues. I am not in support of complainers regarding overflowing bins. As a family of five, with three children, two in nappies, we rarely produce bins that are full. We reduce the rubbish and packaging which we buy and recycle or compost everything possible.

However we also have had maggots in our bin and it is really disgusting. After two conversations with NHDC staff I was told that we are doing everything correctly. We were 'just one of the unfortunate ones'.

We deal with food waste as per the advice and dispose immediately in the brown bin. We do not leave the lid of said bin open. Yet the infestation of the maggots got to epic proportions crawling all over the inside and outside even with the lid closed. This is immediately adjacent to where my family eat and children play. We have to walk past this bin several times a day.

So even when the advice is followed maggot infestations do still occur. I do not wish to pressurise for weekly collections. However I do feel disappointed by the suggestion that I should clean the bin out myself. Firstly the bin is too large for me as an average sized woman to do.

I am not a squeamish person but it made me shiver to even look at the bin let alone clean it. As the bins are council property surely this is NHDC responsibility? Perhaps NHDC should offer a free cleaning service in cases like this so as not to alienate supporters of their efforts like me!

MRS PARKE

Pondcroft Road

Knebworth