* I could not be more disgusted with the attitude of North Herts Council towards the matter of recycling. I think it would be a super idea if the paper could lead a campaign to get them to take their environmental responsibilities far more seriously. I r

* I could not be more disgusted with the attitude of North Herts Council towards the matter of recycling. I think it would be a super idea if the paper could lead a campaign to get them to take their environmental responsibilities far more seriously.

I read on their website that they are going to reduce rubbish collections to once a fortnight. This would be all well and good if it were accompanied by an increased commitment to recycling. According to the council's website this move is going to be accompanied by an increased doorstep recycling collection. This will consist of being able to add cans to our recycling bins. Seriously - how much difference is that going to make?

The recycling facilities in this area are an absolute disgrace. Not only is the doorstep collection lacking in scope, it is poorly thought out. Why for instance do the paper boxes not have lids? I regularly put out soaking wet wads of newsprint, leaving my recycling box weighing a ton and surely extremely tough on the men that have to deal with it. On a recent windy paper collection day I spent the morning clearing over 20 sheets of other people's recycling from my front garden. Both problems easily resolvable by having boxes with lids - but these are clearly too expensive for North Herts.

The items North Herts offers to collect are not even the most common items in a domestic waste bin. Most food packaging consists of card and plastic - surely it is the most obvious thing in the world to begin by collecting these, but of course, these are not particularly heavy items, and since many of the governments recycling targets are weight-based of course North Herts are focussing on covering their backs rather than showing a genuine commitment to the environment. In their wisdom, the council have decided the best way to handle plastic bottles is to increase plastic bottle bins in the area. Bins that will certainly be used by committed recyclers, but I doubt that will do anything to stop the majority of people putting their bottles into landfill.

CAITE PETTS

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