BRUCE RHODES

February 9, 2008

Richmond Hill, Ont. -- Thirty years ago, my family lived in Hamburg, Germany (Toronto Considers $190 Fee For Tossing Out Trash - Feb. 8).

I remember watching the garbage truck arrive at our house, weigh our garbage can as it emptied its contents into the truck, and issue an invoice based on the weight of the garbage collected.

This "pay as you throw" policy always struck us as very fair, and it has influenced us, too: In the past nine months, our family of three has generated just six cans of garbage.