Biodegradable bags and information leaflets are currently being distributed to 12,000 households for the seven-month pilot.
The bags will be collected fortnightly from the trial areas of Ripley, Belper, Alfreton and Somercotes by council operatives along with residents' wheeled bins.
Sally Cumberland, the council’s waste and recycling manager said: “We chose use biodegradable bags, because it’s garden waste. It will make collection easier as unlike boxes the bags will not have to be double handled.”
The council met its recycling rate target of 8% this year, and has a target of 10% for 2004.
“We’re hoping to get 1,000 to 1,500 tonnes from the whole scheme,” said Ms Cumberland. “We will be doing a full evaluation around November before deciding whether to extend the scheme across the whole borough.”
The green waste from the service will go to the Waste Recycling Group’s Somercotes site in Derbyshire. The council is also offering cut price composting bins to encourage home composting in residents who are not part of the scheme.
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