Homeowners may eventually have to pay to have so-called bulky items — such as mattresses and couches — picked up by London trash collectors, a new city hall report suggests.

Though city staff aren’t recommending the change, they are asking city council to OK a study of a bag tag-type system for the big things Londoners have been able to leave out at the curb during weekly pickup for more than 20 years.

Coun. Michael van Holst chairs council’s civic works committee that will debate the report early next year. He’s not yet convinced the study is a necessary step.

“We study a lot of things,” he said. “I’ve been consistently saying, ‘Let’s not give staff more work to do if (the results are) not going to be significant.’

“I’ve got a metaphor: we can rearrange the kitchen or we can cook something and feed somebody. We’ve got enough things that are broke that we don’t need to fix the things that aren’t.”

In their report, staff note at least three Ontario communities charge for big items: Richmond Hill and Newmarket charge between $2 and $12, while Vaughan charges $1.20.

Officials sounded a cautious note in a report on potentially studying the option: “Until the future impacts and changes are better understood, coupled with the current (high) satisfaction rating for the existing system, city staff are not recommending making any further changes . . . at this time.”

The report also suggests studying other changes.