I WAS incensed by the comments from your anonymous correspondent (Binmen need work ethic, Thursday, May 16) that our local refuse operatives have “become slack or afraid of work”!

They no longer heft bins across their backs because a lifetime of doing so could leave them incapacitated in their retirement. The rules on what’s taken and how it’s presented are necessary to prevent injuries and needless cleaning up of spills.

The work they do is no less necessary to a decent society as the work done by the police, teachers or any other civil servant and is not well rewarded. It’s still a damn tough job starting at an uncivilised time of day and most of us would not be able, let alone want, to do it.

I am proud to count one of our local ‘dusties’ among my friends and would like to take this opportunity to thank him and all his colleagues for their valuable contribution to our conurbation.

MIKE CHALKLEY, Cowper Road, Bournemouth