MR Moss, you are not alone in your speechless anger every time you visit Foss Islands (Letters, September 4). I agree with every word you say. I have raised the issue of the state of Foss Islands regularly in council.
I mentioned your letter to Stephen Grieves, the managing director of Yorwaste, who expressed surprise that you and I could hold such a view. I grow tired of shouting to such deaf ears.
So far the Labour administration in York has not taken the subject of waste management seriously enough. People are crying out for the chance to recycle their waste. Despite repeated prodding by the Liberal Democrats the council has only now, begrudgingly, started to talk about kerbside recycling.
The volume of waste generated by York is currently rising by five per cent a year. Last year York residents sent 85,000 tons of domestic waste to the tip. That is over 1,000 pounds of waste each. It does not make sense.
Apart from seven per cent of waste which is recycled, the other 93 per cent goes to the tip. We are creating problems for future generations with landfill sites which can not be easily reused and the production of greenhouse gasses such as methane.
The very least we can do is recycle our waste and to do that requires a Foss Islands Depot organised to receive and welcome visitors. It also requires far more places to take material for recycling than we have at present. Foss Islands is the only place in York to take plastic and cardboard.
I will be pleased to hear from anyone who would like to write to me on this subject.
Councillor Quentin Macdonald,
Manor Farm,
Church Lane,
Nether Poppleton, York.
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