Next week will be the last week of second-day trash pickup for Mililani and Hawai'i Kai households that are part of the city's curbside recycling pilot program.

For nearly two months, the city has been picking up recyclables in the two communities as well as conducting twice-weekly trash pickup. But beginning the week of Jan. 7, trash pickup will be reduced to once a week.

"This will be a critical juncture in the pilot program," said Mayor Mufi Hannemann. "We'll be looking to see how well people can actually do without that second pickup."

Although Mililani households were given the option to pay a $30 quarterly fee to retain the second day of garbage collection, only about 370 households opted to do so, city officials said. The curbside recycling program is serving about 12,000 households in Mililani and 8,000 homes in Hawai'i Kai. Hawai'i Kai residents do not have the option to pay for second-weekly garbage pickup.

Hannemann said it's too early to assess participation in the recycling program or determine any trends, and said the city will evaluate the program in about six months.

But he said so far the project is going "well."

"I think it's safe to say we're seeing gradual increases in tonnage collected," he said.

"I'm pleased that the feedback has been particularly very positive, especially from young people who have really made a difference in many of the households because they are forcing Mom and Dad to participate in this recycling program."

Ken Shimizu, deputy director of the city's Department of Environmental Services, also said the city has seen more participation in green waste recycling.

Households that prove they are recycling and still need an extra garbage bin can get a second bin for free. But both bins will be emptied once a week, on the same day, unless the household is in Mililani and pays for twice-weekly collection.

Hannemann said the city has received requests for 175 additional green bins for green waste, and 28 additional gray bins for trash from the two communities.

The City Council approved a bill that calls for the city to begin launching an islandwide recycling program by Feb. 1, 2009. Under the legislation, the requirement is "subject to the availability of funds and based upon the result of" the pilot projects in Mililani and Hawai'i Kai.

Reach Lynda Arakawa at larakawa@honoluluadvertiser.com.

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