New systems and bins required Simple solution to delivery charges Shortcomings of report ignored

SIR, – Part of today’s litter problem is that so much waste is bulky and full of air – cans, plastic bottles, takeaway food packs. Bins are overflowing with recyclable materials.

Opportunities for the general public to recycle as opposed to “bin” are limited. Multi-bin options are not in widespread use. Recycling bin sites – often at car parks in rural areas – generally only have provision for bottles and clothes. Cans and cardboard skips were removed with the introduction of household recycling bins. As far as I am aware, there have never been skips solely for plastic drinks bottles. I have witnessed people looking for recycling options being obliged to use general waste bins.

New bins need to be designed. People should be encouraged to stack coffee cups, crush cans and plastic bottles – or systems need to be developed to achieve this. I recognise that compliance will always be an issue, but better organisation and management of waste needs to be tackled.

Another problem I feel is language. Few signs, especially in high footfall tourist areas, have multilingual signage for anything, let alone relating to bins. For instance, our blue recycling bins should have clear illustrations of what can go inside as passers-by will often take advantage of these. Non-locals don’t understand what the colours signify, especially since up and down the country different colours are in use.

No easy answer I fear!

Denise Paterson, Fort Augustus

SIR, – With regards to the ongoing campaigns on delivery charges, and as someone who shops regularly online, I wish to suggest a simple solution.

When shopping online, the cost of delivery, almost without exception, appears at the end of the process. If the cost appears excessive, the answer is simple – do not take the next step, which is to “confirm order”. If enough people do this, suppliers will apply pressure to couriers to reduce ridiculous charges.

Ewan Cooper, Citadel Drive, Stromness

SIR, – Ian Lakin (Letters, August 4) surmises that Scotland is uniquely incapable of being an independent country, based on some flawed economic arguments around spending and currency.

He mentions a “fiscal deficit” for Scotland as outlined in the Growth Commission Report and GERS (Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland), but doesn’t flag the shortcomings of GERS, summarised here from the report: “GERS allocates revenues and spending according to the accounting conventions of the UK central government, not necessarily where they arise as would happen under the

UN or Eurostat convention on national accounts. Thus, given these assumptions and the lack of discrete data on Scotland, the

GERS analysis can only be an estimate of Scotland’s position that reflects the current constitutional situation.”

So GERS does not adequately measure Scotland’s income and expenditure now, neither is it an indicator of Scotland’s economic position after independence, as financial and strategic decisions then will reflect the needs of Scotland, not the UK, and will be steered to benefit Scotland, not the UK.

I agree with him that there will be Covid challenges, but these will not be unique to Scotland, and for me moving to an independent currency sooner rather than later will deliver fiscal and economic tools that will help rather than hinder an independent Scotland.

So I don’t buy into the doom and gloom premise of Mr Lakin’s letter. Scotland’s government is skilfully steering a painful path through the pandemic with few of the controls that independent nations have. Imagine how much better we would do if we retained all powers in Holyrood?

Willie Dunbar, Deeside Gardens,

Aberdeen