The Editor,

I have read with interest the letters to the editor over the past few weeks with respect to the City of Surrey's new waste cart program.

Unfortunately, I too will have to add my name to the list of frustrated citizens.

Recently, recycling truck drivers have been collecting our old recycling blue boxes as they have been instructed to do. Two of ours were taken away, despite being full of recyclables and still needed until we can get an extra recycling cart.

Requests for replacements were placed more than two weeks ago and three phone calls have led to no reply or action. In other words, there is no help or accountability.

The city's website states that excess recyclables that do not fit into the newly issued recycling carts can be placed in the old recycling boxes for overflow.

However, additional recycling carts will not be available for purchase or delivery until the new year.

The question now is that in the period between now and January, where are citizens to place their excess recycling that overflows if their blue boxes have now been taken back? It seems some common sense was lacking by upper management in terms of the timing of these changes.

And through no fault of their own, the front line workers are bearing the brunt of citizens' frustrations.

Christmas and the holidays are coming soon and traditionally produce the most waste (recycling). By taking away the old blue boxes prematurely, a practical problem has been created for many households that will exceed their recycling cart's capacity.

Common sense might dictate that the old blue boxes should be collected once everyone has received their extra or revised recycling carts and the holidays have passed.

The new waste program is a great concept and makes sense for the environment.

The implementation of this though has been completely mismanaged and the top decision makers should apologize and be held accountable for the frustrations their lack of foresight has caused many people.

Ravinder Singh, Surrey