Perthshire people will be forced to cut their rubbish by half after plans for new, smaller bins were rubber-stamped by the council.
Under a drastic shake-up of waste collection services in Perth and Kinross, residents will be given new half-sized green-lidded bins.
Councillors rejected a suggestion, revealed this week by The Courier, that monthly collections could be introduced.
Instead, they favoured the new container sizes, which will be delivered to 5,000 households in Auchterarder and the Oakbank and Western Edge areas of Perth early next year.
Following a year-long trial, the effectiveness of the waste reduction pilot will be assessed.
The local authority will then decide whether to roll the scheme out to the rest of the region’s 70,000 households by the end of 2016.
Perth and Kinross Council must reduce landfill waste by at least 1,000 tonnes each year, or face hefty penalties.
Under the Zero Waste Plan introduced in 2008, the Scottish Government set a target for no more than 5% of waste being sent to landfill by 2025.
Large fines are meted out if councils fail to hit their 50% recycling target under European directives.
Environment convener Alan Grant told his colleagues something must be done to boost recycling figures.
Mr Grant said: “We have attempted education and sent out all sorts of communication, including calendars and updated leaflets, and we are still not making a breakthrough.
“If general waste bins are smaller, then people might think about what they put in them.”
The decision to introduce the trial project was passed unanimously. But Councillor Callum Gillies questioned the impact it would have on Perth and Kinross Council’s budget, as the scheme will cost at least £1m to deliver.
“I don’t totally agree with this,” he said. “My feeling is that the money being spent on rolling out a new bin system isn’t going to give us the result we are looking for.
“If we spend all this money and it doesn’t work, then we are back to square one.”
The new 140 litre bins, which will replace the existing 240L versions, will still be collected on a fortnightly basis.
The trial will begin next February and the results will be available by early 2016, when councillors will decide if the scheme has been a success.
Waste services and community greenspace manager Bruce Reekie said councils in Angus, Falkirk and Fife have already introduced smaller bins and that extensive research has already been carried out to ensure the new system meets current demand.
He said: “During the council service review, we looked at the typical fill level to see what capacity would be required for the volume of waste. We agreed the best fit would be 140L.”
Mr Reekie also advised councillors that the existing 240L bins will be put into storage during the trial, with any that are still fit for purpose given a new lease of life as a recycling bin.
In the event of the trial failing, they would be returned to householders.
Meanwhile, Councillor Grant Laing highlighted the results of the collection service review.
This revealed more than 70% of material found in the general waste bin could be recycled.
He called for assurances support would be given to residents to ensure they could help the council meet recycling targets.