Sir, - I refer to your leading article entitled "Dublin's Dump (May 24th) in which you suggest that Dublin local authorities should place greater emphasis on recycling and reuse. I would like to bring to your attention the fact that Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council recently embarked on such a programme with the dual aim of diverting waste from landfill disposal and of encouraging more sustainable means of consumption. This programme includes: (a) kerbside collection of segregated waste for all urban households; (b) a recycling park or central "bring centre" for other "recyclables" such as old clothes, waste oil and white goods and (c) a composting centre for garden waste which will be made available for re collection by householders.
I see this initiative, which incidentally places Dun LaoghaireRathdown in the vanguard of recycling in Ireland, as just the beginning of a process which will lead to overall waste reduction by making us all more waste conscious consumers. Landfill is not, as you suggest, a cheap option. Our disposal cost at Kill will increase to £35 per tonne from its current level of £5 per tonne, but the environmental cost of unrestrained use of non replaceable resources is incalculable. - Yours, etc.,
(Councillor),
An Cathaoirleach,
Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown
County Council,
Ballawley Court, Sandyford Road, Dublin 16.