From David Middlemas, Community Composting Network
Your article on recycling household waste emphasises the common-sense
approach we must take to composting
(4 March, p 14). There is obviously a
sensible balance between leaving organic waste in a bin for too long and the
well-publicised concerns of us all living in perfectly clean, sterile
environments.
The trend in waste management is increasingly to enable householders to take
responsibility for their own waste. It is better to educate the public about the
sensible precautions that should be taken when separating out their waste than
to dispose of organic waste along with the rest of our rubbish.
The composting industry has already invested heavily in research into a wide
range of health and safety issues, including bioaerosols and occupational
health. Last year, the European Union Landfill Directive was passed, obliging EU
member states to set tough new targets for the redirection of organic waste out
of landfill sites. We anticipate that composting will play a key role in
this.
Sheffield
