Sir, Tim Worstall (Opinion, Aug 12) seeks to expose a hidden cost of recycling, but in fact he simply demonstrates the limitations of cost-benefit analysis when it is inappropriately applied.

First, as one who recycles conscientiously, I doubt the figure of 45 minutes per week. Household “preparation” consists almost entirely of rinsing out containers and putting waste into separate bins or a composter. How much longer does that take than chucking it all into one bin?

Secondly, even assuming that his estimate is accurate, would saving 6½ and is likely to continue rising<NO> as virgin resources become scarcer, so that any cost-benefit analysis may only hold good in the short term; witness the mining of old rubbish dumps in the US.

Last, recycling heightens awareness of the issues of waste and increasing scarcity, and while that awareness cannot be factored into an equation, its value cannot easily be overestimated.

John Perret
Boston, Lincs

Sir, I am told that were we to do away with the current recycling arrangements my council tax would increase by at least 50p per week. In staving off this charge I am effectively being paid above the minimum wage. I am happy with that.

Brian Parker
Dartmouth, Devon

Sir, I am a keen recycler and would like to do more but unfortunately each local authority has different rules and collects different materials for recycling. I live in one borough and have a business in another where there is no facility for collecting recyclable goods. Why paper and glass can only be picked up from residential property and not commercial and why one borough will collect cardboard and another will not demonstrates the half-hearted way in which we embrace recycling.

Peter McCloskey
Wembley, Middx

Sir, With the rise in commodity prices, at what stage will local councils consider paying residents for collecting their rubbish?

Kevin Keough
Kirk Ella, East Yorks

Sir, As Richard Woosnam says in “High plastic prices raise prospect of rubbish mining” (Aug 12), plastics are a rich source of energy. We must therefore ensure that they are used responsibly and are not mined simply to end up back in landfills.

The bottled water industry is a prime example of needless waste. Britons alone consume three billion litres of bottled water a year, equating to 13 billion plastic bottles, of which only three billion are recycled. With tap water accessible to everyone, and costing 500 times less than bottled water, it’s common sense to use the available resources.

Businesses can install water coolers at a fraction of the price of bottled water, with great environmental benefits. Restaurants in turn can provide water as a premium product by filtering and chilling tap water and serving it in reusable glass bottles.

I suggest that the Government considers introducing a tax on bottled water, as has been successfully initiated in Chicago. This would help to ensure that the use of plastic bottles is not taken lightly and the plastic we produce is used where we need it most.

Matt Cooper
Greencare H2O Ltd, Kent

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