I NORMALLY find Paul Hepworth's letters well argued and relevant.

But Paul, I am surprised at your latest regarding Harewood Whin (December 30). Transporting tons of garbage via road, rail or barge is not the answer. We need to identify the problem. Our society generates too much trash, period.

I see no reason why York people should not take responsibility for the rubbish they generate and pay the appropriate price for its disposal. It's bin collection day here in Bishopthorpe and with very little exception every bin put out has several black plastic bags alongside with surplus rubbish yet there are reasonable recycling facilities just up the road at Tesco's at Askham Bar.

We have no excuse any more for our filthy lifestyles. Those that can be educated into a more responsible way have now been so.

Be it climate change, landfill overspill, or any other problem the time is here to hit the filthmonger very, very hard through the taxation system. Graham Horne,

Beech Avenue,

Bishopthorpe, York.

...IN response to the letter from Mr Hensen (December 7) regarding the kerbside recycling collections, we are grateful for residents' support of the kerbside recycling scheme.

One quarter of the houses in York (20,000 houses) receive fortnightly recycling collections of glass, cans and paper. The response from residents has been good. Since May 2002, the amount of material collected for recycling by the scheme has increased beyond 360 tonnes and is now 900 tonnes.

The kerbside project is supported by funding from City of York Council and environmental body Yorventure. The material collected goes to reprocessors across the country for recycling.

Money raised by the sale of the glass, cans or paper is put back into the kerbside recycling scheme towards the operational costs of providing the service.

Councillor Tracey Simpson-Laing,

Executive member for transport,

City of York Council,

Carnot Street, York.

Updated: 11:16 Thursday, January 02, 2003