Readers and an environmental group have expressed their views on "tremendous" changes to the borough's bin collection service, but some were not convinced.

Havering Council started an eight-year waste and recycling contract, costing £90 million, with provider Urbaser Limited on Sunday (October 22).

This includes an "improved recycling offer", where glass bottles and jars were added to orange sack recycling collections for the first time in Havering.

Since the council's announcement, an environmental group and readers have shared their views.

Ian Pirie, co-founder of Havering Friends of the Earth, hailed it as a positive move: "More recycling is a tremendous step forward and will reduce waste and save resources.

"We feel sure that the new system on the doorstep with be a bonus for residents and will help cut down on the enormous levels of rubbish going to landfill."

Mr Pirie added that it would save the council money at a time when it is in desperate need of funding, after its leader Ray Morgon announced it was nearly bankrupt.

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Other proposed changes included installing charging points for electric vehicles, ground works, the installation of welfare facilities and a fleet of "environmentally-friendly" waste collection and street cleaning vehicles.

But not everyone was pleased.

Trudi Bates said wheelie bins would be a better option than bags.

"Why can't the council just supply bins so we can put our normal rubbish and recycling in?" she asked.

"If we had bins then the glass will be contained and the poor bin men are less likely to get cut, [meaning] less mess on the streets, [and] the foxes won't be able to get to the bags."

Tasha Whitmore agreed with Trudi's assessment. 

"Would be even better if we had wheelie bins like every other London borough," Tasha said.

But Jane Keane, Labour councillor for St Albans ward, said she has had only one comment from a resident.

"[It] otherwise seems to have gone well," she added.

Michelle Elliott also welcomed the move: "Great that more is being collected, including glass and coffee pods," she said.

"Soft plastics need to be added next."

The council confirmed it had increased the range of plastics collected in orange recycling bags to include pots, tubs and trays.