IT is often said that there are few better conversation starter than that of bin collections - and that’s certainly been the case in North 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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Kitty: “It would be better if the bags would stop getting stolen.”

Sara: “It’s working well for us.”

Pete: “Not had any issues and i requested and got more bins and recycling bags”

Ian: “Not over-impressed. Not sure it's an improvement, and there were clearly a lot of easily anticipated teething troubles. Only glad I have space beside my house for the wheelie bin and food caddy, and in my garage for the recycling bags.”

Bethany: “Really good. Glad we can now recycle food waste, and even with a big family who come and visit often, we've had no problem fitting our two weeks worth of black bags into the black bin. I do take out our soft plastics and recycle them at Tesco's, but that only equates to one black bag a month.”

Donna: “Not good people over filling a large wheelie bin so no one can put rubbish out its disgusting especially when I have baby nappies to put out council will empty it by the weekend it's so full I'd much rather have my own bin at least I'd be able to put rubbish out.”

Hedley, hoping for the best pun simply said: “It’s bin better”, to which Pete H replied: “Do you wheely think so?”

Alison: “They need to take care when putting the empty recycling bags back were they had them from as mine were thrown all over our drive and my neighbour who us disabled had to retrieve hers off the main road but the green bin didn't survive the traffic, so they need to place them back were they had them from”

Claire: “Launceston is permanently covered with loads of heaped up bin bags everywhere so it’s already a failed scheme and they never get removed so week after week is more rubbish left on the streets. They should have left the collections as they were.”

Dylys: “It is not very well thought out. no consideration for the elderly, disabled, those without gardens.”