Collecting our refuse weekly

We pay our council tax for a variety of services, of these perhaps the most conspicuous is refuse collection. The weekly collection is vital for the preservation of the health of the community.

This will become even more important as global warming results in higher temperatures. In warmer climates such as the Mediterranean refuse is collected from homes as a daily service. The consequences of reducing the weekly collection of domestic waste from homes, restaurants, licensed premises, groceries, butchers, etc are dire.

Many councils including Telford already provide only a fortnightly service. The problems are serious, but apparently ignored by the local authorities. To reduce the service inevitably leads to double the amount of refuse collecting in people's homes and on business premises.

For many there is the problem of storage, especially for those with small children still in nappies, but particularly for people living in poky little flats without adequate storage space. The longer people have to store it the more it rots and the more attractive refuse becomes for vermin.

Towns and cities with a fortnightly collection of domestic waste all report a large increase in the rat population and foxes become more adventurous seeking food in urban areas. It also becomes smelly and unpleasant and attracts flies. People start dumping their rubbish in the streets and open spaces, adding to the detritus already there.

The calculations made by local authority financial advisers are obscure. We are fortunate Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council is flush with funds, but its sense of priority must be in doubt if it is prepared to sacrifice its weekly collection of domestic waste.

Alan B Shrank, Shrewsbury