RESIDENTS have shared their views on recycling in St Helens after it was revealed that production on an experimental multi-box system had stalled.

A pilot using the new system was supposed to begin in the Shires Estate and Fingerpost areas of the town centre earlier this year.

However, St Helens Borough Council revealed this week that the project has been “severely impacted” by the Covid-19 pandemic.

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This has meant the company developing the containers, Coral Products, has been unable to get the raw materials needed from China to make them.

The council has insisted that the project is still alive, saying it is in discussions with Coral, based in Haydock Industrial Park, to try to resolve these issues.

On hearing the news, St Helens Star readers shared their views on the current recycling system used in the borough.

Currently, residents in St Helens have to divide their recycling into five containers, as well as a brown bin for general waste.

The recycling containers include a black box for cardboard and glass; a pink bag for plastics and metal drinks cans; a blue bag for paper; a grey food caddie and a green bin for garden waste.

A recurring complaint from residents is that the current system leads to rubbish overflowing into the streets.

Speaking on Facebook, Lesley Hill said: “The current system just isn’t working due to the fact when it’s bad weather there is more rubbish bottles cardboard and plastic left all over the street.

“We need better containers or a bin just for the recycling if that gets sorted the service will work much better.”

Stephen Smith said the current system is a “shambles”, while Gary Holmes described the recycling containers as “pretty useless”.

“Bigger bins, less collections,” Gary said. “Pretty useless containers when it’s rainy or windy.

“The service is great though.”

Lots of residents believe recycling would be made far easier if they were given additional wheelie bins, as is the case in Warrington and Wigan councils.

Carl Naylor is happy with the system used in Knowsley, and said St Helens Borough Council need to get their “heads out of the sand”.

“We’ve got a really good system in Knowsley, it works very well,” he said.

“General waste, Wheelie bin. Recycling, wheelie bin. Garden waste, wheelie bin. It’s so easy and clean.

“Maybe St Helens Council need to get their heads out of the sand.”

St Helens Star: The new multi-box recycling containers were supposed be getting trialled earlier this year but is now facing delays due to the coronavirus pandemic The new multi-box recycling containers were supposed be getting trialled earlier this year but is now facing delays due to the coronavirus pandemic

Not everyone thinks the current system needs to change, however.

“What’s wrong with it?” said Amy Bate.

“Put your recycling in a box it gets took away every week… saves loads of room in the wheelie bin.”

Over on Twitter, Chrissybels said: “It works really well and always find the crews friendly and efficient.

“Have holidayed in UK areas with mixed recycling and it just becomes a smelly contaminated mess (with likely poor rates of actual recycling achieved).”

St Helens Environmental, which states in its Twitter bio that it aims to raise awareness on all environmental issues, also sees the merits in the current kerbside system.

They said: “Every council has a different view of either prioritising amount collected or quality collected and local infrastructure.

“If people understood the benefits of kerbside sort, it can collected just as much as bins, but I think the council has struggled to communicate the benefits.”

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While the current system does have its supporters, the vast majority it appears want to see it binned off.

Speaking on Facebook, Janet Stevenson said: “Listen to the people of St Helens please.

“We need one large wheelie bin for all recycling. Too much litter with the present system.”