CARDENDEN retailers are to do their bit for the environment after signing up for a trial scheme to use compostable bags.

For 12 weeks, customers using stores in the village can expect to receive their goods in the special bags and it is hoped that the initiative could be rolled out across Fife.

The trial will be launched on Friday and Cardenden councillor Rosemary Liewald said: “I am expecting a really good response. None of the retail outlets said they didn’t want to give this a trial. The only store who won’t be giving this a try is Tesco and the reason for that is they have taken all their one-off poly bags out of circulation and are using their bags for life.

“The other fortunate thing that will be happening alongside our trial is that the Co-op within the village is going to begin using their own compostable bag.

“At the end of the trial, we will be returning to ask a survey of about four questions as to how retailers felt, how customers found it, would they consider changing over to a different supplier and how did they feel in general about the use of the compostable bags versus plastic bags,” she added.

“All the compostable bags can be placed into your household food waste bins as they are biodegradable. At the moment it is just Cardenden but we would love to see this expanded Fife-wide.”