Recycling rage

SIR, – I keep reading that recycling will be enforced and/or rewarded. The people who make the rules do not live in the real world. For a start, houses converted into flats share waste facilities – so how will that work? Secondly, who is to stop people f

SIR, - I keep reading that recycling will be enforced and/or rewarded. The people who make the rules do not live in the real world.

For a start, houses converted into flats share waste facilities - so how will that work? Secondly, who is to stop people from taking recyclables from other people's bins to boost their own recycling rewards or reduce their fines?

Even if the bins are locked, there is scope for people with a grudge to put the wrong things into other people's bins to reduce their own fines and cause others to be punished for contaminating the recycling. Then of course there are those who will be too old and frail or sight-impaired to get it right.

Bear in mind, too, that because I am too "green" to buy lots of stuff that will soon need throwing away, I have less stuff to recycle. Finally, I like to take my paper for recycling (in my rucksack on my pushbike) to a paper bank that supports a charity.

Should I be punished for failing to buy too much and then recycle at home? It is time to go back to the old system of just letting us throw away rubbish without fines that encourage fly-tipping and yes have recycling boxes and paper banks, but no financial carrots or sticks, which always bring out the worst in people.

S. BEAVER,

London Road,

St Albans.