My food waste, some of which is now 11 days old, rots in a dark caddy in the sun following a missed collection three days ago and smells, to the consternation of passers-by. 

A medical education is not required to recognise this as a health hazard. An hour and half on the telephone to Merton Council’s refuse department this week, failed to get it collected, initially the following day and now after three days. I was first told that it would be collected within 48hrs; today there is no such assurance!

This follows a similar episode last Christmas/New Year when the service broke down in a similar way and a formal complaint was taken to a council meeting; but complaints clearly lead nowhere and bring no improvement.

We are exhorted by the national government and our local council to recycle but are thwarted by inefficiency and incompetence. As I do not wish to spend more time and effort on this, I shall no longer participate in the waste food collection, although, as an ardent recycler, I shall continue to compost uncooked fruit and vegetable waste.

Dr Simon Joseph

St Mary’s Road

SW19