Wichita ? A program beginning in January will reward Wichita residents who recycle with coupons and other rewards they can redeem at local stores.

The program, called RecycleBank, is believed to be the first of its kind in Kansas, although it operates in 13 other states.

Waste Connections of Wichita announced Tuesday that it has joined the national program, which will allow people to earn points based on how much their recycled items weigh.

Those points can then be redeemed through coupons, offers and other rewards at several local and national retailers, including Sears, Target.com, Bed, Bath & Beyond and Dick’s Sporting Goods.

“What a great win for the consumer where the more they recycle, the more they get rewarded,” said Jim Spencer, division vice president of Waste Connections.

The service costs $3.75 a month. The average recycler will earn about 200 points a month, Spencer said, which would translate to about $20 in rewards.

Spencer said one of the main advantages of the program is that it will eliminate the feeling that people get “penalized” for recycling because they have to pay for the service.

“Finally now,” he said, “recycling will reward the consumer.”

The 18-gallon tub recycling customers currently use will be replaced with a 95-gallon cart. The carts are weighed at pickup and tracked through a computer. Customers are then able to check their account online or by calling a phone number.

Waste Connections currently has about 3,300 curbside recycling customers, and Spencer said his goal is to have 15,000 customers by July.