I CONGRATULATE Coun Mike Charles on his comments relating to the protests he has received about the introduction of wheelie bins by Malvern Hills District Council.

It is a nonsense.

This imposition is a classic example of the misconception that ‘one size fits all’. It does not: parts of the MHDC area are reasonably level and the introduction of wheelie bins for the collection of recycled materials, including glass, is appropriate.

However, many of us live on the slopes of the Malvern Hills and parts have severe gradients and should be considered separately.

The use of wheelie bins in such areas is inappropriate and may well pose potential risks to the safety of householders positioning their filled bins at their property boundary collection points.

Is it reasonable to expect an elderly or physically impaired person to move a weighty wheelie bin filled with two weeks’ recycling materials, including glass, and manoeuvre it into position up or down a slope or steps? What measures have the council taken to assess the extent of this problem and what would be the cost of providing assistance to those who would not be able to easily and safely move their bins to their property boundary?

These unanswered questions demonstrate that the proposals for the introduction of wheelie bins may not be appropriate throughout the whole of the MHDC area.

DR DAVID PENTER

Malvern