BURY Council's policy of chipping blue bins appears to be a waste of council tax money.

They say they are unsure of participation levels, but if this is the case what are they doing about participation levels for brown garden waste bins, black boxes and the paper collection?

Are we to assume that despite the cost of recycling they have no idea of participation levels of any of the elements of waste collection at present?

As to the statement that it will help to trace stolen bins - I find it hard to believe that this is a real issue. Indeed, if it was, surely they would be taking steps to trace bins of all types and colours.

Anyone with a bit of commonsense can see that due to the limited number of items we are allowed to put into the blue bins, it would be more appropriate to collect these bins every four weeks and perhaps after spending £49,000 on chipping bins, the council will come to this conclusion.

Frankly, from the statements on the blue bin issue to date, the concil has not proved to me that chipping is the answer, unless it is used for other, undeclared, reasons.

So, instead of using guesswork' (as the council spokesman is reported to have said), why not use commonsense. Look around and the answer to participation levels/efficiency are clear to see, without the need to spend £49,000 - money which could have been used on a better thought-out recycling policy.

P TAYLOR, Holcombe Brook