Sir - I am writing to raise a number of inaccuracies within the article (Wine column, Weekend, August 17). There is no green glass mountain in the UK. UK-produced green bottles have a recycled content of over 80 per cent - a much higher proportion than plastic.

Regarding recycling, in 2006 the UK recycled 443,000 tonnes of plastics; of that total over 290,000 tonnes was exported, compared with 1,303,000 tonnes of glass being recycled and 233,000 tonnes being exported to Europe for re-use into new containers.

Sarah McCleery writes that plastic bottles are seen to be a positive step for the environment - how can this be the case when they are being exported to the Far East for purposes unknown?

(And note - plastics cannot be returned into same-type plastics so cannot be sustainably recycled in a closed loop system like glass.) At a time when underage drinking is emerging as possibly the number one social problem facing our society we have well-respected brands launching alcoholic beverages in packaging formats that appeal to the younger generation.

The comment would apply to those currently promoting wine filled into plastic pop bottles and juice cartons.

Glass is the only packaging material that clearly defines the boundaries between drinks (both alcoholic and non alcoholic) designed for the adult market and those designed for a more juvenile sector.

Rebecca Cocking, Recycling Manager, British Glass - Packaging Directorate, Sheffield