SO THE new recycling system has arrived. Despite assurances that it would save operatives time, I see that they now have to collect at least three boxes, taking, obviously, three times as long... a good saving there then. Then we come to the householder, who has to find storage for all these boxes in addition to two bins. They are also asked to sort out the recycling themselves. I find that one box for plastic bottles, tins and cans, one for glasses and jars, and one for paper and cardboard leaves me with the problem of what to do with ordinary plastic products, wrapping plastic etcetera. So I still use the plastic recycling bag for paper.

Maybe the ‘savings’ come from the householder doing the sorting. I won’t be holding my breath for the compensatory reduction in council tax for doing the council’s job for them.

R Hutchinson, Manor Park Close, York.

A City of York Council spokeswoman, said: “The three box system has two benefits. Firstly, it speeds up collection as the loaders do not have to sort by the side of the wagon – the boxes can be simply tipped in.

“Secondly, it help prevent litter blowing from the boxes into the surrounding areas, something that we had numerous complaints about in the past.

“Other than plastic bottles, all other types of plastic must be put into the ordinary grey bin. We do not have facilities to recycle plastic trays and wrapping.”