The plan by Zero Waste Scotland to test the use of CCTV to target littering has a rather burdensome ring, compared with measures adopted by some of our continental neighbours (Big Brother is watching you ...

drop litter, News, April 12).

In Norway, for example, deposits are charged on plastic and metal cans and bottles. The buyer then puts the empties into a crusher, which returns these in the form of coins delivered through a slot. France has a comparable system for glass bottles, a deposit being taken on these, mainly in supermarkets, and deducted from bills on return of empties to the checkout.

Zero Waste Scotland can hardly be unaware of these schemes. One wonders what would be the obstacle to implementing some version of them here.

Geoffrey N Armitage

Cupar