Writing Task 1 Sample

Letter Sample #59 – Rubbish/garbage collection in your area is not working properly

GT Writing Task 1 (Letter Writing) Sample # 59

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The system used for rubbish/garbage collection in your local area is not working properly. This is causing problems for you and your neighbours.

Write a letter to the local council. In your letter:

  • describe how the rubbish collection system is not working properly
  • explain how this is affecting you and your neighbours
  • suggest what should be done about the problem

Write at least 150 words.

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear Sir or Madam,


Model Answer 1:

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am Amelia Henson, a resident of Bedford neighbourhood, writing on behalf of our community members to express our discontent with the way waste is collected in our area. We have been expecting a change for the last couple of weeks and now hoping for an immediate solution.

We really appreciate the hard work staffs of the local council do to manage garbage in our neighbourhood and their contributions in keeping our neighbourhood clean. However, they often do not collect the household wastage from the designated garbage bins in the morning and when they arrive to collect them in the evening, wild cats and dogs litter garbages outside the bins. On top of that, no one comes to collect garbage on public holidays and this simply makes the situation worse.

Bad odour spreads in the neighbourhood due to this, and in some streets, bins overflow with garbage only to make it unhygienic for the residents. Moreover, overflowing containers become a breeding ground for mosquitoes, houseflies and other insects. They enter our homes making us prone to developing myriads of infectious diseases.

As a viable solution, please make sure your staffs clean the garbage bins every single day – both in the morning and evening. If required, allow them to work in shifts and please reserve some staffs for holidays. I would also request you to provide bins with different colours for the segregation of waste in our community.

I hope you will consider my suggestions and take immediate actions to solve the problem.

Yours faithfully,

Amelia Henson


Model Answer 2:

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing this letter on behalf of Carfinni Housing Society in Saarland to lodge a formal complaint against the current rubbish collection system which is not working properly as the cleaning staffs are not picking up the rubbish on time perhaps due to a reduction in the number of regular cleaning staffs. As a result, overflowing waste bins are left in the open for too long, leaving them to be some “exploring grounds” for fleas, mosquitoes, cats and dogs.

Because of this inefficient waste management system, we are really worried to let our small kids go out and play as they may get infected with some terrible diseases such as malaria fever. Not to mention, of course, the foul smell, coming out of the waste bins, is simply unbearable sometimes.

Therefore, in light of serious hygiene and sanitation situation in our area, described above, I would like to request you to increase the number of cleaning staffs in order to pick up the rubbish on time. If not, please at least hire some workers temporarily to spray medicines to destroy the harmful insects in the waste bins.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Yours faithfully,

Felix Becker

This post was last modified on 10th April 2019 6:37 pm