While policy discussions on the future of green-waste collection begin, City Council task force recommendations and city trash officials have agreed that the basic change to green waste would involve eliminating plastic bags.

Currently, clear plastic bags are required for all green waste placed next to trash and recycling bins at the curb. That requirement will continue until an official policy change is made, Allen said.

The change, which could start as soon as July 1, would require green waste to be placed in user-provided 30-gallon bins or in 30-gallon paper bags, according to preliminary discussions among city officials.

If a resident prefers to bag green waste, the city would require that yard waste — leaves, limbs and grass clippings — be placed into 30-gallon paper bags available for purchase at local hardware or home improvement stores. No more plastic bags.

If a resident prefers bins, the green waste would have to be placed loose in the container.

The choice of using store-bought paper bags or user-provided bins would be at the discretion of residents, according to the recommendations made in February.

City officials will discuss limits on how many bags or bins could be placed curbside on a given week.