Readers' letters: Bottle return and reward is the way forward for environment

When we have had good weather during lockdown, there have been lots of people around, with litter left in parks and recreation fields.
What can be done about litter?What can be done about litter?
What can be done about litter?

Council staff have been working tirelessly in all weathers to combat the increasing amount of litter dumped on our streets and parks.

I have been out litter picking myself.

We can all take part in making a small difference in our local neighbourhood.

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In today’s modern world there are plastic and aluminium containers scattered all around.

These containers will not decompose for hundreds of years. Back in 2017, Michael Gove was contemplating a “return and reward” scheme for plastic bottles.

When will this scheme be implemented?

It would certainly have meant parks would be much cleaner.

Scotland has a deposit return scheme that has been designed to make it easy for us all to do the right thing.

People pay a small deposit of 20p when they buy a drink in a single-use container and then get the deposit back when they return the empty bottle or can.

N Bywater

via email

Asked for ID at rubbish tip

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Yesterday I took rubbish to the tip at Chanters, Tyldesley.

A young man at the entrance asked me for ID.

I’ve been going for years and never been asked this before.

I showed him my blue disability badge.

It has my photo on it (I’m a widow who is nearly 79 years old).

Not enough!

He wanted something with my address on, too.

I had nothing – a queue was building.

After a mild dispute (and traffic behind me), he let me through to dispose of three cardboard cartons, 12 unwanted bathroom tiles and a broken shopping trolley from the back of my tiny car.

Is this a police state?

Is there no common sense?

Does a hi-vis jacket render its wearer all-powerful?

And who made this silly rule apply to all?

It’s possibly to prevent commercial tipping?

What a typical town hall farce.

DISGRUNTLED LOCAL RESIDENT

Providing a listening ear

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Although lockdown is finally beginning to ease, everyone is still grappling with the continuing challenges of Covid-19 and many of us could use some additional practical help or emotional support from time to time.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the charity Family Action’s FamilyLine service has done just that, helping more than 2,000 people and their families.

FamilyLine is a free, confidential advice and support service on family issues for family members over the age of 18.

We provide a listening ear, answer particular parenting questions or help with guidance around more complex family issues.

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Our trained volunteers can help via phone, text, email and web chat.

If you need help or advice, please get in touch, Monday to Friday, 9am to 9pm, by telephone: 0808 802 6666, text message: 07537 404 282, email: [email protected] or by live web chat.

You can find out more on our website www.family-

action.org.uk/familyline.

David Holmes CBE

CEO Family Action

Avoid feeding barbecue scraps

While many of us love a barbecue, it’s important that people don’t leave food unattended or feed their pets scraps – even if they look like they’re enjoying it.

Not only can the high salt levels in most barbecue foods make them very thirsty but it can, in serious cases, cause high temperatures and even seizures.

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What’s more, barbecuing often does not properly cook the meat all the way through, meaning animals can get all kinds of nasty bacteria from the raw meat, including salmonella and listeria.

At the very least, this can cause some digestive upset such as diarrhoea or vomiting but can sometimes lead to something even more serious.

It is a common misconception that you can feed dogs bones when, in fact, this is highly dangerous.

Every year, I see hundreds of cases of dogs with severe gastrointestinal problems or internal damage. Their owners have given them the small T-Bones from a steak, thinking it will not be an issue.

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Bones, especially chicken bones, can get stuck in their intestines and stomach, causing all kinds of internal damage or can cause the dog to choke if it gets stuck in their oesophagus.

Lastly, the carbonisation on the outside of burnt meat can cause vomiting or other stomach upset for our pets, with some experts citing it as a cause of cancer.

Leticia Fidalgo Buron

Vet and technical manager at Webbox

We need this money ourselves

There is little doubt that the amalgamation of the Foreign Office and the Department for International Development will have an effect on the reputation of the UK.

For far too long, we have been seen as a money pit to go to for cash for foreign projects like the Indian space programme and to help stop Chinese people smoking.

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The foreign aid system was designed when we had an empire and were responsible for supporting the colonies.

We no longer have that duty, and we need the money ourselves for the support of services here in the UK.

Of course the Whitehall Warriors will huff and puff, and protest, at the very idea as it takes authority to splash the cash away from them.

I think there are many departments in Whitehall that are far too free with our money and would benefit from a well deserved review and clear out to save well needed funds.

Peter Hyde

Address supplied

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