The charging scheme could be up to £1 a sack or £5 per month, and is being backed by the Treasury. However, it would be run in conjunction with a free doorstep service for taking away papers, cans, bottles and plastics for recycling.
Exact details of the scheme are still being discussed, due to its sensitivity among voters. However, the Treasury would like to launch a series of pilot schemes by local authorities in order to try out a variety of different systems.
The possibilities include a specific charge for each sack of rubbish, with an allowance of one or two free sacks per week; a flat monthly charge for households producing more than two sacks per week; and the weighing of wheelie bins, with charges levied on excess weight.