IN last week's County Gazette, Taunton Liberal Democrats proposed that kerbside recycling collections should be expanded to include plastic and cardboard.

This scheme would certainly be welcomed by children at Oake and Bradford Primary School who, for over a year, have been asking Taunton Deane for such a scheme in our area. With plastics making up around 7% of the average household dustbin there are several advantages to recycling: Conserves non-renewable fossil fuels - plastic production uses 8% of the world's oil production, 4% as feedstock and 4% during manufacture.

Reduces our consumption of energy.

Reduces the amounts of solid waste going to landfill - it takes 25 two litre plastic drinks bottles to make one fleece garment.

* Reduces emissions of carbon-dioxide (CO), nitrogen-oxide (NO) and sulphur-dioxide (SO) into the atmosphere.

Let's all get behind this scheme, after all they do sat that "Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings comes wisdom."

ROBERT SHAW Oake parish councillor Saxon Close, Oake.