With reference to the letter from Toni Lawson-Hall (September 14), we have a simple way to deal with fish and meat bones in our bin.

While they are still fresh we pop them into a plastic bag in the freezer. On bin day the frozen bag goes out with the rest of the rubbish. There are definitely no smells and no maggots. It may not be ideal for everybody, but it works for our house.

There is a more environmentally friendly way to deal with this type of refuse, a gadget called a Green Cone. This is installed in the garden and rapidly composts the offending material using solar power.

The manufacturer (substantiated by independent trials) claims that the system generates no smell and no unpleasant residues. These devices are somewhat expensive, but some councils around the country, with support from DEFRA, are now offering them to residents at a much reduced price. The Green Cone, when used in conjunction with other recycling methods, has the potential to make a significant reduction in the amount of garbage that goes for landfill.

Dr M Redman.

Marlborough