Should councils have power to issue fines for overflowing dustbins?

HOW can people be prosecuted for putting the wrong waste in their bin (Mail)? It can’t be proven beyond all reasonable doubt who deposited the rubbish if the bin has been left in the street for emptying. M. BLACKMORE, Semington, Wilts. COUNCILS should not impose fines for leaving bins out too long and putting them out too early. Powers were granted to deal with vandalism and bad neighbours, not to victimise council taxpayers. It seems that councils are constantly looking for ways to increase their revenue when they should be looking at ways of saving it. P. NAYLOR, Worthing, W. Sussex. I SALUTE the councils who have threatened to fine people over the rubbish problem. I have been sending pictures to the

council for years of the smelly mountains of litter in my street, but it says it does not have the resources to track down the dirty louts responsible.

LISA COLLIER, London SW7. COUNCILS should be supported for refusing to collect overflowing bins. Bins in my street are full of plastic bottles that should be recycled. Our council operates an excellent system, but people are too lazy to separate their rubbish.

G. PARRY, Merthyr Tydfil, Glamorgan. INSTEAD of fining residents for filling bins so the lids don’t shut, councils should reinstate weekly collections, which would solve the problem.

S. GOSCOMBE, Rushden, Northants. WHAT does it say about the state of this country when a householder’s mistake over rubbish collection is treated more harshly than a real crime? In Birmingham, many households have not had rubbish collected for up to six weeks because of a dustman’s strike, but are powerless to do anything about it. Councils are only interested in pursuing easy targets

M. HAIRSINE, Sutton Coldfield, W. Mids. NOTHING is too much trouble for our bin men. Overflowing bins are emptied and any other waste is taken away. It’s not surprising that Rochford District Council is near the top of the recycling league.

D. CLEMESHA, Hockley, Essex. PEOPLE who are too stupid to put the rubbish in the correct bin should get an advisory letter. Some people in my street put their bin bags out early and the crows rip them apart, leaving rubbish everywhere. I pick it up because I can’t leave it there to fester. Unlike them, I take pride in where I live.

DEREK HARPUR, North Crawley, Bucks.