VIRTUOUS as it to recycle material, it fails when the local authority is unable to arrange for all plastics to be recycled. Huntingdonshire District Council can accept grades 1, 2 and 3, which means that about half the plastic waste goes into landfill. Al

VIRTUOUS as it to recycle material, it fails when the local authority is unable to arrange for all plastics to be recycled.

Huntingdonshire District Council can accept grades 1, 2 and 3, which means that about half the plastic waste goes into landfill. All plastics are technically recyclable, although it may not be economical to do so and, therefore, re-using is much more satisfactory. The thin plastic bags supplied by stores can be used many times before problems arise and, of course, the stout ones last longer.

Bags absorb most of the plastic production and building materials are close to this. Although electronic plastics fall well below, can this authority recycle the large amount of plastic in the casings of nearly all apparatus and toys?

A better understanding of what can and is done would be most helpful, but the authority is sadly reticent on the matter. For instance, how is the waste handled (apart from hand sorting) and what happens if residents mix other plastics with the 1, 2 or 3 grades? What of the plastics with no markings? What happens in the recycling plant if the wrong plastic type is accidentally included?

I would appreciate a detailed description of the process which, if it is all done by detailed scrutiny, must cost more than landfill. It takes energy to recycle materials resulting in more CO2. This is a further argument for re-use instead of recycling.

Presumably, the steel is separated by magnetism, but what of non-ferrous metals or the ring pull on a can that may be hidden inside the squashed empty can? Surely all these separations, including paper from cardboard, are not achieved by hand sorting.

No doubt manufacturers could reduce packaging further in some cases but fear loss of sales if they do so. The Government, for all its posturing, does little to help by not insisting that Brussels declares that all plastics must be recycled or re-used, marked with the grade, and all dry batteries either recycled or disposed of safely.

The Germans had separate collection bins for domestic use at least 25 years ago and every shop that sold batteries had to have a box for used ones.

It would be a real result for Brussels to listen to Britain for once and not dictate to us what we must do.

BOB KING, Needingworth Road, St Ives