Wheelie bins in Wolverhampton will be almost halved in size in a bid to make more people recycle, it was revealed today.

Green boxes and unpopular flimsy white recycling bags will also be scrapped as part of the plans. Wolverhampton City Council has pledged to retain weekly bin collections but has unveiled the plans to replace the current 240-litre black bins with ones that can carry just 140 litres. The old larger black bins will then be used for recycling waste.

The new wheelie bin scheme, set to be rolled out in summer 2011, will mean plastic green boxes and white bags can be scrapped.

It has been announced just days after the council revealed it would bid for funding to give 97,000 homes a new 25-litre “kitchen caddy” for their food waste.

Under proposals going before councillors on the sustainable communities scrutiny panel next week, waste chiefs have said they will keep fortnightly collections for garden waste and recyclables and will collect food and residual waste every week.

The council is also planning to spend £1.175 million in 2011 on replacing its fleet of eight recycling lorries that collect the contents of the boxes and bags.

Wolverhampton City Council’s environment chief, councillor Barry Findlay, said: “We do not believe in bin police or charging extra taxes.

“This way we can encourage people to recycle more by making it simpler.”

Councillor Findlay said that people who are currently exempt from recycling, such as the elderly and disabled, will continue as they are.

A survey will also be carried out at homes with larger families who will be able to continue to use a 240-litre bin for their non-recyclable waste.

Households currently have two wheelie bins for regular and garden waste, a green box for cans, paper and glass and a white bag for card and plastic.