Upon reading articles and letters in recent weeks about the proposed changes to the Elstree recycling centre, I am clear as to what is a ‘done deal’. Saving money and improving efficiency (usually two different terms for the same thing) will override any considerations of the adverse impact upon any changes to residents. These two themes are constantly being recycled by our county council (and many others around the country), whilst we are all being exhorted to do more recycling so as to meet national targets and stave off being punished by the European Union. The implications of any closures or reductions in opening times will: 

1. Necessitate longer car journeys that involve more petrol consumption, which hardly helps with our carbon footprints or is beneficial to the environment.

2. Devolving an increased cost of recycling onto residents, who will have to spend more money on petrol to access a so-called ‘local site’.

3. Militate against families, large and small, who have more waste to deal with than smaller households, so making these more expensive car journeys to and from the new site, more frequently.

4. Make what should be a simple task turn into a whole pre-planned exercise since travelling over eight miles by car along the A1 and M25 or surrounding roads is not easy, quick or appealing.

5. Have a knock-on effect and cost in terms of using emergency services for car breakdowns and accidents that will follow from more cars on these fast roads.

Household waste recycling centres should be local, have long opening hours and left alone.

Stephen Miller

Address supplied