In Julian Baggini’s article (The scandal of food waste – and how we can stop it, 8 October), I’m surprised that recycling for compost wasn’t given more prominence. At a household level, far more can be composted than at present, including scraps of leftover cooked food if mixed in with other organic material and relatively secure “Dalek” compost bins used – contrary to prevailing advice about attracting rats, I have never had a problem and my compost is all the better for it.
For kerb collections, an overhaul of regulations is required to make waste food collection compulsory for local authorities which, as has recently happened in Shropshire where I live, have abandoned food waste collection because their decision to charge for green bin collection falls foul of section 45 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 that prevents local authorities from collecting food waste when a charge is imposed.
Patrick Cosgrove
Chapel Lawn, Shropshire
