Recycling system? It’s all one load of rubbish

Published: 1 July, 2010

• IN our street we received all the new recycling bags last week for collection this week.

Alongside our general green bag for plastic/cans/etc, we now have separate bags for paper, garden waste and compost.

I duly separated all of my waste, washed packaging and shredded paper, but this morning our rubbish was collected and all the bags were emptied together into one large council plastic wheelie bin and tossed into their rubbish truck.

Why were we asked to separate our waste for recycling if it was going to be thrown together once we had done so?

The binman told me it was because residents were still mixing their rubbish into the same bags.

But even if residents had separated their rubbish the collection system mixes it all up again (one wheelie bin, one lorry for everything).

This is a waste of house­holders’ time, energy and utilities which could have been a potential saving for the council in added costs for sorting and cleaning the rubbish.

We have been waiting a long time for this initiative to be introduced since it was first broadcast on TV by the council’s representative.

SALLY GALLETTI
Calthorpe Street, WC1