Sir, – Women’s Institutes have done a wonderful job over many years by selling jam etc to raise money for charities using old jam jars (D&S report, Oct 12).

The EU directive on the reuse of containers is typical of the EU’s desire to regulate our lives. We should be encouraged to recycle materials, and avoid the waste of fruit by making jam and pickles etc. Glass is about the most chemically inert substance that there is, and the risk of harmful chemicals leaching out is negligible. Obviously there could be a problem with some plastics, but not glass.

Councils are to be congratulated on using common sense over this. The sooner the Government tells the EU to mind its own business on these issues, so that we can get on with our lives, the better.

MILES GARNETT

South Otterington, Northallerton.