RESIDENTS need to remember a phrase very popular in the past – waste not, want not.

A century ago, when people had very little, everything was used and reused.

With rationing in the Second World War every scrap was sacred.

Even later on in the 20th century, leftovers remained the next night’s meal.

But in recent years much more has simply been tossed away.

Couple this with a massively increased population and you inevitably end up with more and larger landfills – which nobody wants.

It is no longer possible for people just to leave dustbins by the door because we are all creating more waste than we can cope with.

New solutions are needed, but whatever councils try leads to opposition.

Which is probably why Colchester Council is going to ask what residents want, and it is important you have your say.

Options include losing weekly waste collections, bringing in wheelie-bins and paid for garden waste collections among others.

A survey is expected to go live on the council website later this month as the council looks to find a way to keep collections costs and the amount of waste as low as possible.

The advice is, don’t waste your chance to have a say.