I WHOLE-heartedly support recycling and welcome the council’s efforts to improve its record, but at nearly 83, adjusting to a new system is challenging.

Where do you put them? I have the usual bins plus a very useful one for garden waste. I don’t want to look at them from my front window. I could keep them in the back, but would have to move at least one a week. I am now in the process of adjusting the front garden to accommodate them.

I am frequently irritated when they’re no longer handy at the back door.

The handbook says “Please place your wheelie bin with its handle facing the road”. Reasonable, if it’s already facing the right way, if it’s not too heavy and if you’ve room to manoeuvre.

The handbook says “Please put your containers out no later than 7am, no earlier than 6pm the evening before”. Reasonable, if you are dressed before am and if it didn’t get dark in the winter well before 6pm.

I’ve carefully followed the clear and understandable calendar but am not always confident that I interpret them correctly. One day I put out the green lid bin with some difficulty. I stood back to admire my ability to conform, and saw that everyone else in the road (more than 15) had put out their grey bins.

Another day I dropped a bag in the wrong bin. I leaned in to retrieve it but couldn’t reach it. I tipped up the bin but it was wedged. I leaned in further, nearly falling in, but still couldn’t reach it. It remained wedged while I nursed my cracked and bruised ribs. I have since heard of two older people who sustained broken hips through slipping when moving bins and other bruising stories. Here are my solutions: l I got a grab stick for reaching into bins l I’m on the waiting list for a small green lid bin.

l I have more self confidence about the calendar.

l I have satisfactorily rearranged the front to accommodate the bins out of my direct vision.

l The garden waste bin is kept in the back and only goes to the front fortnightly, unfortunately before 6pm the night before. My sad bid for non conformity.

Why didn’t I do something about the information in May 2012? Probably because I was so excited about the solution to my garden waste problem – now no longer a problem.

Forewarned should be forearmed. Four arms would help.

LINDA HUBBARD, Address supplied