AUBREY Isaacson (Letters, April 9) suggests that the council may be legally responsible for any personal injuries associated with our new recycling scheme and the use of additional bins and boxes.

I can only repeat what has been said before, that elderly or infirm residents who may have difficulty in carrying the recycling boxes should ring the helpline (253 5353) and the collectors will carry the boxes for them. We believe that in taking every reasonable step to inform people of this, we are adequately discharging our duty of care.

The boxes are not defective, the lids are an "extra" to help protect the materials (many authorities have boxes with no lids) and they are not difficult to secure. They are made from recycled plastic, which in this form is always black.

Far from being "half-baked", the scheme draws on best practice from all over the country, and has been carefully thought through. However, we have learned lessons, and these are being put into operation.

I repeat that this is not a reduction in the refuse collection service, as there is still a collection every week; it is just a different type of collection.

Conservative correspondents are quite mistaken to think that they can reverse this process. What will the Tories cut to pay the extra £250,000 annually to collect grey bins weekly? Or will they scrap recycling and pay the resulting fines and landfill tax? If so they may also be liable to repay the Government grant we used to set up the scheme.

COUNCILLOR STELLA SMITH,

Executive member for

environment and transport.