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We have a well organised déchèterie here in the Bergerac area where I can’t think of anything that is not accepted. The chief problem is the laziness of people who put everything into the black bag.

Joining the cantonnier on his round I was aware some heavy bin bags had garden waste (which should go to the déchèterie or, better, be composted) or contained cartons or tins that should have been recycled.

At the waste sorting plant near Périgueux I saw how clever the mechanised sorting of recyclable rubbish is, but also how labour intensive it is to sort whatever gets missed.

Outside, bales of sorted paper and plastic were ready to be taken away for re-use and the gas generated on the landfill powers a generator giving electricity for 2,000 homes.

An experiment last year found we discarded just 37kg in our home of two people, everything else had either been composted or was suitable for recycling.

So, we could all do a lot to save money for our commune and the environment by reducing waste.

Neville GAY, by email