Garden waste

You'll get a 240 litre brown garden waste bin which will be collected weekly. 

The bin belongs to the council. It's the collection service you're paying for. You're responsible for looking after it and keeping it clean. 

If you want another one you'll have to take out another subscription. 

If you have an assisted collection for your other waste you'll also get that with this service.

One bin is usually enough for most households. If not, you can:

• compost to reduce your garden waste
• take it to the Southwark Reuse and Recycling Centre

Cost

Our garden waste bin collection service costs £80 a year. You could reduce the cost by sharing it with a neighbour.

We have to charge for this service as not everyone needs or wants it. We've kept the price as low as possible.

The price and expiry date are fixed. This means:

• the service runs from 1 April to 31 March
• if you start your subscription later in the year you'll pay the same price as for a full year

You cannot: 

• get any money refunded if you do not use the service for a full 12 months
• pay for more than one year at a time

Concessions

We only provide a free service to non-profit groups that provide public spaces that are freely open to the public, like community gardens.

This does not include groups that garden on housing estates, or allotments that are only for local residents or members only. 

Signing up

It's easy and secure to subscribe online. We accept all major credit and debit cards, except American Express. 

You cannot set up a Direct Debit.

After signing up you'll get an information pack in the post. It will include a sticker to attach to your bin to show your subscription is current. 

Subscribe

If you need a new bin

You can order a free bin if you have a subscription and it:

• does not arrive when you subscribed
• is lost or stolen
• gets damaged

If you do not produce much garden waste or room for a brown wheelie bin you can book a collection. 

Order sacks

You'll need to order our garden waste sacks which are made from 100% biodegradable paper.

We cannot collect garden waste in any other container, including plastic bags. 

They cost £40 for 20 sacks.

Book a collection

We'll collect 1 to 20 sacks at a time. If you have more than 20 you need to make another booking.

We collect weekly. Check your collection day.

Book 

You must separate your garden waste from your other recycling. This is to:

• comply with changing law on simpler recycling
• tackle the climate emergency

Garden waste is composted and cannot include food or any other type of waste.

Any garden waste that is contaminated with food waste will not be collected until the food waste is removed.

Check what is and what is not garden waste.

You can use your garden waste bins or sacks for:

• grass cuttings
• garden weeds
• plants and flowers
• leaves and prunings
• twigs and small branches (no more than 10cm diameter)

Do not use your garden waste bins or sacks for:

• food waste
• Japanese knotweed which is invasive, easily spread and very hard to get rid of
• recyclable items
• plastic bags or liners
• flower pots or trays
• soil or turf
• stones, gravel or bricks
• large tree branches
• fencing, chipboard, MDF or treated wood
• garden furniture

Put your garden waste in your bin the night before your collection.

Do not overfill garden waste sacks. Only go up to the fill line.

We'll only collect waste stored in:

• the brown bin with the lid down

• our garden waste sacks

Leave bins and sacks next to each other in a visible and easy to access place at the front of the property. Do not put them on the pavement or roadside. 

Make sure they only contain garden waste.