IT is often said that there are few better conversation starter than that of bin collections - and that’s certainly been the case in South East Cornwall since the changing of the collections in recent months.

As part of a scheme to ‘boost recycling’, Cornwall has been the subject of a phased roll out scheme overseen by Cornwall Council and implemented by its third-party waste collection and processing partners, Biffa.

Even before the new collections began there was one rule that got people talking — the ban on your own bins. Banished to either a historical memory of all the times you had put rubbish in your beloved old bin or consigned to a future as a water butt or make-shift ice bath, it was announced that every home would be provided with a bin or seagull proof sack by Cornwall Council — and that was all you were allowed to use.

If you were in need of another bin, you had to apply for an extra one stating why it was necessary, and then there was the reduction in collections from weekly to fortnightly, alternating with recycling.

However, in its place, the council rolled out a scheme for food waste to be collected weekly.

The new bin collection system hasn’t been without its issues or challenges - so what do you make of your new bin services?

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Melody: “Rats and mice in the garden now trying to get into the bin, there’s no food waste I use the caddy. In a small apartment I don’t want a bin in here two weeks old, it’s a really unsanitary system.”

Myra: “No problems at all even got extra recycling bags.”

Tim: “Love that side of it. Now let’s get to a wheelie bin for all the recycling. Having seven separate containers for all our household and garden waste (8 if you include a carrier bag for soft plastic) is a bit much.”

Ivy: “One bin is not enough for families, the food bin is rubbish the handle falls down and wind has blown it open, we are told to contain the recycling so has to be put in a bin liner as straight into recycling bags does not contain it. It takes up a lot of space to separate rubbish, garden bins have to be paid for, only good point is most get an actual bin so cats and gulls do not tare binbags everywhere although bins have been so full many can't shut the lids”

Rebecca: “Waste of time and money. Money that could be used on other things the county is desperate for.”

Teresa: “It is a load of rubbish, bin men not taking dustbin away recycling is lots stuff we had. Dustbin men leave note washing recycling items we doing job for them it drives me this recycling bring back way it was doing 40 years’”

Gemma: “Despite raising issues with our local councillor several times and the Cornwall waste team, it took a complaint to the ombudsman to get a wheelie bin. Now that we have a bin, we can start to assess effectiveness... A year today actually get the bin has been ridiculous”

Mike: “I've seen one new bin split right down the middle, the people put it out lots above the lid. They had a few tickets put on it but they just left it on the path and pushed more rubbish in splitting the bin, the mess it makes and the bin men still putting stickers on it. I hope they know if you leave your bin out to long there's an £100 fine.”

Lisa: “Good! Less rubbish bags being torn apart by seagulls/cats”

Dave: “It’s good and no rubbish lying for the seagulls!”

Tracey: “It’s great. No complaints.”

Michael: “The system is already out of date. Government are bringing in rules that residents are provides with a maximum of 4 containers for all waste and recycling.”

Steven: “This is the best thing the council has done, I love it”

Julie: “For me it's good, with recycling not much rubbish, and seem to be less gulls!”

Susan: “Great, few missed collections (had that before new ones) only two of us and we take peeling etc to the allotment, very little food waste, we have a bag better than great big bin some are struggling with, to date happy!”

Sam: “Works well for us, since we’ve started recycling everything we can, including soft plastics at the larger supermarkets, we only normally have one to two bin bags in our bin every two weeks. We’ve only once had our food waste not collected but after filling out a form online, it was collected later that day.”

Pam: “Nightmare.”

Steve: “It’s good, but I can see how larger families struggle with every fortnight, doesn’t suit everyone.”