Recycling bins are far too big

We have recently returned from a visit to Wells and Bath. While there, we noticed that the brown (wet recycling) bins in these towns were very small.

Some were half and some about one quarter of the size of our current recycling 'box' and all with lids. We didn't see any brown wheelie bins.

On our return, we read the letter notifying us of the three wheelie bin scheme in our area. We were astounded to discover that the size of the new brown bin is over five times the size of a current 'box'.

While we will be happy to recycle our wet kitchen waste, I estimate that the amount of this waste we generate each week in the summer is less than 20 litres and in the winter, less than 10 litres. In our case, during the summer months, our brown bin will be about 83 per cent empty while in the winter months, 91 per cent empty.

Out of interest, the volume of a modest Savoy cabbage is about 0.9 of a litre. For some reason, the recycling team are determined that everyone should have a brown bin that has a capacity to recycle 310 Savoy cabbages every week.

I now understand the brown bin policy in Wells and Bath. The householder chooses the size according to their needs. They are small enough to wash and keep clean and can be located close to the kitchen.

They are also light enough to be carried by the householder to the edge of the property and are manually tipped into the wet recycling section of the refuse truck. The operation would be quick and keep the time and costs of emptying to a minimum.

I would be interested in hearing the comments of the recycling team as to why we will have such a large brown bin that costs a lot to manufacture, takes up space, will not be easy to keep clean, that will never be full and that takes time/energy to manhandle/empty rather than a small one that is sized to the needs of the occupants.

Brian Gough

Saffron Walden