PROPOSALS have just been announced to expand Harewood Whin refuse site, near Rufforth.

This obnoxious method of dumping household waste on flat ground, was originally imposed on us by North Yorkshire County Council, before the last local government boundary changes.

When City of York Council was created as a unitary authority, it took over responsibility for waste disposal, but was seemingly locked into a contract with Yorwaste to perpetuate the existing arrangement at Harewood Whin.

Readers will surely wish to learn the details of this contract, and the associated landfill tax arrangements, to fully understand why the council is still minded to surround our city with artificial hills of rubbish.

Is there any long term alternative which can be established - for example, transporting waste by rail or barge to land reclamation sites?

The Government's present policy encourages waste to be dumped locally, which is fine for local authorities with old mineral workings and the like, within their boundaries.

Those without, such as York, must be enabled to export their waste to remote landfill sites.

Paul F Hepworth,

Windmill Rise,

Holgate, York.

Updated: 12:28 Monday, December 30, 2002