I write to express my disappointment with the 'new' recycling system now in place in Malvern.

As a family we all moved here to Malvern from Hampshire over two and a half years ago. In Hampshire we had a green wheelie bin for all our recyclables that was collected fortnightly. They took anything that was labelled with the recycling logo.

After five years living in Germany, I can say we are light years behind in this country. They collect and recycle almost everything and we had got used to, and admired this system.

So when the plastic bags arrived last week we duly began to get back into place a thoroughly 'environmentally-conscious' household. I posted helpful and annoying 'stop' notices near all the bins to remind the family to think before 'binning'. I started to use up all the odd spaces in the dishwasher for the obnoxious dog-food tins and began to feel good about our own family's meagre efforts to contribute to a more healthy waste management system.

However, it seems that all is not as it should be, in my opinion. It says on the guidance notes that I cannot recycle margarine or yogurt pots, despite the recycling logo?

I must remove bottle tops and deposit thick cardboard elsewhere. Our take-away indulgences must serve us the 'double-whammy' of guilt, as the trays are not apparently suitable for the clear plastic bin bag.

The worst part is that we must retain and store these horrible bags within our home until they can be collected fortnightly. They are an eyesore and insist on continually spreading their contents all over the floor. The guidance notes are too vague (for example what about plastic meat trays, gift wrapping or plastic bubble wrap?) and the bags are too thin.

Sorry MHDC, I know you are trying but this simply is not good enough. I think we should all be issued with wheelie bins, two each per household please! We certainly appear to be paying enough in rates for such basic commodities.

Lesley Leadbeater, Birtsmorton.