I READ with interest the front page article in the Burnley edition (LT, December 18) It, detailed the persecution of residents who unwittingly recycled the wrong rubbish, admittedly causing significant problems for the council.

The story mentions new rules which were introduced by Burnley Council last month, but the council hasn't deemed it necessary to write to residents explaining what articles can be placed in each of the numerous repositories for waste (blue tubs, claret bags, brown bins, claret bins etc).

There are even discrepancies between the classification of waste by different councils.

For instance, as far as I was aware, plastic food trays, used to hold cooked meats, are acceptable recycling material for our blue tubs in Burnley, having washed them of course.

However, in neighbouring Ribble Valley, residents there have been told such items are unacceptable for recycling. Come on Burnley Council, please provide each resident with a comprehensive list of dos and donts then at least we have a chance to avoid prosecution.

Which leads me on to the main reason for this letter.

How on earth have we allowed our politicians, our representatives, to make it a criminal offence to place an empty orange juice carton in the wrong bag?

This legislation, along with a raft of other measures, is just the sort of thing that George Orwell predicted.

These are Big Brother tactics which would have been out of place in even the most totalitarian state.

It is about time our councillors and their officers remembered that they are public servants, not dictators, and acted accordingly.

W BARNETT, Burnley Road, Padiham.