IN REPLY to Karen Taylor's letter in the Mercury of November 3, I would like to state that there are no proposals at present to introduce fortnightly refuse collections throughout North Somerset. If a decision is made in future years to collect kitchen w

IN REPLY to Karen Taylor's letter in the Mercury of November 3, I would like to state that there are no proposals at present to introduce fortnightly refuse collections throughout North Somerset. If a decision is made in future years to collect kitchen waste weekly (about a fifth of all waste), then refuse collections might change to fortnightly as a result. Wheelie bins would then be provided for both kitchen waste and refuse, to stop problems with dogs and cats, etc.The present proposals are for some kitchen waste collection trials in a few streets only next year, but no definite decision has been taken yet. In answer to the question about different types of cardboard recycling, brown corrugated cardboard is processed with garden waste to produce compost. Printed cardboard cannot be used here as it would contaminate the compost. Printed and corrugated cardboard can both be recycled to produce more cardboard - this is what happens to the mixed cardboard collected at recycling centres in Weston, Backwell and Portishead.DEBORAH YAMANAKAExecutive Member for Environment and Community, North Somerset Council