IT?S good to hear that West Devon has improved its recycling of rubbish so much. There is, however, a long way to go to catch up with the best. Cambridgeshire, I believe, manages to recycle nearly 60% of its waste. Members of the public could help to improve this target by the simple expedient of squashing tins and bottles before placing them in the skips. Very few do so, from my observation. No special equipment is needed for this, other than a firmly applied foot, and it would just about double the effective capacity of the skips. If there are notices giving this advice, they are insufficiently prominent for me to have noticed them. Perhaps Jane Savage (West Devon Borough Council recycling officer) could add this to her list of tips? K Vines Kilmantain Horrabridge