Overloaded containers caused problems for some of the residents involved in a pilot for the new recycling scheme which is to be rolled out across Dundee.
Flats may also prove “challenging to reach” as weekly bin collections are moved to fortnightly with additional recycling collections for food waste, paper, glass and plastics.
In the west end, Pasteur Lane and Clayhills Drive were involved in a pilot before Christmas, as were Shiell Court and Carbert Castle in Broughty Ferry.
At a meeting of the council’s environment committee, officers said they intend to “learn lessons” from the pilot areas to affect changes as smoothly as possible.
Councillor Fraser Macpherson said a small number of properties involved in the pilot in the west end experienced problems with not having the right size of containers.
He said: “There was some concern at one block in my ward where there were some teething issues.”
Concerns were raised over the heavy usage and overflow of recycling containers at the block which is now being monitored by the environment department to establish whether it was a seasonal increase over Christmas.
Councillor Laurie Bidwell said he was pleased that a sheltered accommodation complex had been included in the Broughty Ferry pilot but said more consultation is needed to tailor the scheme to each individual property.
He said: “I’m waiting for this programme of closer consultation with residents to really gear up, and if they are starting in March they only have a few weeks left to do this otherwise there may be issues and confusion.
“Not everyone wants four or five bins even if they have a yard or garden to put them in. A lot of people in flatted accommodation are concerned that they don’t have the facilities for sorting out waste as much as they want to.
“Older people may not be able to manage to get their bins out without help.”
Consultation has already taken place with tenants associations and residents groups across the city but residents will have the chance to have a say on the detail of plans as the scheme is rolled out.
Environment convener Craig Melville said there may be some “trial and error” in certain areas but the pilot had gone well.
He said: “The pilot has been a success. Obviously it is a major service change and there will be issues that come up.
“A tremendous amount of work has gone into this by council officers.
“It is going to be trial and error in certain areas in consultation with local people as well.”
The changes will come into place over the next year in a bid to improve the city’s recycling figures and similar schemes have already been adopted in other areas.
Mr Melville said: “We are one of the last council authority areas to roll this out and we are extremely keen to successfully implement this.
“There will still be weekly bin collections we are just asking residents to put different kinds of waste in different bins.
“The feedback from the pilot areas has been very positive. One close experienced problems but that was only natural with a pilot and the issue has been resolved.”
A council officer explained: “As it gets closer to introduction day there will be workshops and drop-in sessions for people to find out more about what is going to happen at individual addresses and how to use the facilities provided.”