Sir, - The principle of recycling glass, newspapers, cans, clothing, and so on, is probably an excellent one. The proliferation of bottle banks and collection containers for other materials around the city and suburbs of Dublin presumably shows an increasing environmental awareness among our citizens.
Unfortunately, many of these collection sites are at prominently visible areas such as crossroads, lay bys and car parks, and are becoming eyesores and sources of pollution themselves.
The multicoloured, scratched, dirty and graffitied containers could never be beautiful at the best of times. Add to this the fact that few people seem to be able to deliver a box of bottles without dropping and smashing at least one. or to post their newspapers into the skip without letting a few pages blow away to festoon the nearby foliage, and one ends up with collection sites that sully rather than enhance the environment.
Perhaps the next generation of collection points could be screened or fenced just a little more aesthetically. They serve a valuable purpose, but they should not be allowed to become blots on the landscape. - Yours, etc.,
Tritonville Road,
Sandymount,
Dublin 4.