I am totally in favour of recycling, having carried it out for more than 35 years.

So long as I had a car, I took it all (including plenty of green garden waste) down to the depot off Shoreham Road.

Since moving into this retirement flat three years ago, I have continued to take as much daily waste as I can carry and, despite increasing age and infirmity, walk to the nearby collecting points. Lately, I have envied the householders in the road opposite us with their free black boxes which I see collected regularly.

So I was pleased to receive a circular letter last December saying the system would shortly be extended to blocks of flats.

I was not, however, pleased to be told this week, by our managing agent, that we are required to pay for two bins at £290 each.

Admittedly, when the total figure of £580 is divided between the 46 flats here, the amount due from each is reasonable at about £13. But is it equitable or just?

Why should we older people be discriminated against? The basic principle of a free issue of containers to the public to assist Brighton and Hove City Council increase its volume of recycling has been abandoned for flat dwellers.

Personally, I feel victimised for being over 80.

-B E M Garratt MBE, Hove