A controversial new garbage collection fee tied to the city's residential recycling project in Mililani won easy City Council approval yesterday, and will take effect the week of Jan. 7.

The $30 quarterly charge will apply only to Mililani households that are included in the recycling project and want to retain an optional second day of garbage collection per week.

Households that recycle and show that they still generate more trash than a single garbage bin will hold can obtain a second bin for free, but it will be emptied on the same day as the first bin.

The bill that was approved yesterday also calls for the city to start launching an islandwide recycling program by Feb. 1, 2009, but leaves plenty of wiggle room.

It's not clear how far such a program would have to go by then, and the requirement is "subject to the availability of funds and based upon the result of" the pilot projects launched this month in Mililani and Hawai'i Kai.

Still, council members said the city is moving in the right direction, if slowly.

"One purpose of the pilot projects is to see if we can do without a second day of garbage pickup so we can do (recycling) ... within the same budget," said Councilman Gary Okino.

The second day of garbage collection each week will continue until Jan. 5 in Hawai'i Kai.

Mayor Mufi Hannemann has said he supports the idea of an islandwide recycling program if it is feasible.

"That's why we look forward to seeing how the pilot projects in Mililani and Hawai'i Kai go," said spokesman Bill Brennan.

Correction: The second day of garbage collection each week in Hawai‘i Kai will continue until Jan. 5. A previous version of this story incorrectly said the service had been eliminated.