What is your sexual identity, asks bin survey

A COUNCIL has been criticised for asking residents about their sexual orientation in a survey about recycling.

Householders in Suffolk received a questionnaire about the opening hours and layout of local recycling centres that also asked them to state their age, race, religion and whether they are homosexual or heterosexual.

Many questioned the relevance of their sexual preferences to the council’s recycling policies.

Suffolk county council also asked whether the respondents had disabilities or if they were HIV-positive. The survey stated that the personal questions were “optional”, but many locals objected to being asked them at all.

A resident writing under the name Ian C posted a comment online asking: “What does it matter how many transgender individuals recycle their rubbish?”

A council spokesman pointed out that the questions were optional and said: “It is important to know what people with disabilities or illnesses think about our services and it is important that we try to encourage diversity. We need to know not everyone is the same.”