A district council is planning to charge households £30 to have their green waste recycling rubbish bins collected.
The proposal – which opponents have branded the "bin tax" – has been put forward by North West Leicestershire District Council as part of cost-cutting measures to save £2.84 million over the next four years.
It was approved by the Conservative-led council's cabinet at a meeting on Tuesday.
But the move, which will affect more than 40,000 households, has sparked outrage among residents and opposition councillors.
Paul Kelly, 64, of Sharpley Avenue, Coalville, said: "There is no way I'm going to pay £30 for them to empty my green bin. I'd rather bag my garden rubbish and take it to the tip myself.
"I can't see many people agreeing to pay it and I can imagine we're going to see a lot more fly-tipping as a result.
"Of all the stupid ideas this council comes up with, this has got to be one of the worst.
"They must be absolutely desperate.
"We all pay our council tax and this should be part of the services we receive – it won't be long before they start charging for black bins, too."
Ibstock councillor Dave De Lacy, Labour spokesman for the environment, is urging residents to make their protest know and for the council to "bin the bin tax".
He said: "These new charges are very bad news.
If they are introduced they will inevitably reduce recycling in the district.
"Residents are furious and some have told me they will not pay this bin tax and will send back their green waste bins instead.
"This council, in the past, has been proud of its green credentials and environmental policies but this is a major setback."
Council leaders estimate the charge, which will not be introduced until 2015, will net an extra £150,000 a year.
The charge will be £30 a year, or £25 if paid by direct debit, but nobody can be forced to pay the fee, by law.
Councillor Nick Rushton, portfolio holder for corporate affairs and resources, said: "We need to save £1.5 million by 2016 – and a total of £2.84 million by 2018.
"We have an excellent track record of improving services and getting great value for money.
"By changing how we work and becoming even more efficient, we can find another £500,000 by 2016. But that still leaves us with £1 million to find, so we have some tough decisions to make."
The cost-cutting measures are out for public consultation, which ends on November 8.