Difficult situations often demand radical solutions, and Bradford's waste disposal situation is indeed difficult.

At present, despite commendable efforts by the Council, only 23 per cent of household waste is recycled. Although many people throughout the district now sort their refuse into various bins and bags, far too much is still having to go to landfill. Not only is this method of disposing of waste environmentally unfriendly and expensive, it also risks incurring heavy penalties from the Government and the European Union.

So Bradford Council is right to be looking at every possible means of reducing the landfill needs and boosting recycling. The autoclaving method said to be one of the favourites being considered today by the Executive seems a promising way of filling both those needs. By breaking the organic waste down via steam heat into a cellulose fibre able to be used by industry, and then removing the metals and plastic for recycling, it is claimed that landfill need would be reduced to about 20 per cent. Meanwhile, recycling would be more than doubled, to 50 per cent.

Alongside another possible option of sending some waste outside the district to be burned in an existing incinerator to produce energy, this could take Bradford well away from the potential "penalty zone".

There is much the Executive needs to consider, not least the little matter of where the autoclaving plant would be sited and whether people living nearby can be reassured about it. Cost is obviously a major consideration. It would not be cheap. But in the long run it could well prove considerably cheaper than the landfill alternative.