MICROCHIPS put in 5,000 wheelie bins in Derby seven years ago have never been used, it has emerged.

The chips were placed in the brown recycling bins, out of a total of 240,000 in the city, as part of a Government pilot scheme in 2003. They cost £1 each.

If people were putting the wrong types of rubbish in, bin men were supposed to scan the chips – which contained address information – and a letter would be sent out.

But they were never used, no vehicles were fitted with chip readers and the council has no plans to use them in the future.

A spokesman said: "The bins were purchased in readiness for an expected national Government pilot programme for a so called "pay-as-you-throw" scheme.

"The 5,000 bins that contained the chips are all in use throughout the city and there are no current plans to introduce such a scheme in Derby."