Garden waste collections
Garden waste collection service
- we collect from households every 2 weeks, on a Wednesday
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the annual subscription for the 2024/25 service, is £75.90 per year (£55.90 concession if you receive benefits)
- the subscription year runs from 1 April to 31 March (if you want a year’s worth of collections, you must sign up before 1 April, for the upcoming year)
- if you subscribe later in the year you only pay for the remaining months of the subscription year
- by subscribing to the service you can put out up to 3 bags of garden waste (in the bags we provide) per collection, until the end of the subscription year (we only provide the bags for new customers)
- if, on any occasion, you want to put out more than this, then you need to pay to increase your bag collection allowance
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every extra bag collection allowance you purchase, (£9 each), means you can put out one more bag (provided by us) of garden waste, with every collection, for the subscription year
How to subscribe to our collection service
If you already have an account log in to either sign up for the current year’s subscription service (or for the next year if it is close to the end of the subscription year).
If you are a new customer, you will need to register. Once you’ve subscribed, we will deliver your garden waste bags within 5 working days.
If you don't have an email address please contact us using the details at the bottom of this page, and we will help you to set up your account.
Please note: once you have subscribed, we can't refund your subscription (even if you do not use the service).
- What can I put in my garden waste bag?
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- leaves
- grass cuttings
- weeds and old garden or house plants
- flowers, twigs and hedge trimmings
- diseased plants
We don't collect:
- plant pots
- wire ties
- seed trays
- plastic
- glass
- metal
- gravel stones
- soil
- logs
- branches thicker than 2.5 inches (6cm) in diameter
- meat waste
- bones
- fish
- cooked food
- vegetables and peelings
- Japanese Knotweed
- How and when should I present my bags to be collected?
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- your bag(s) must be at the boundary of your property (not on the highway) by 7am on your collection day
- put your address on your bags so they can be returned to your property
- only use the garden waste bags supplied by us
- only put out the number of garden waste bags that you have subscribed for (we won't collect more than you have subscribed for - if you want to increase your bag collection allowance log in to your account or contact us via the details at the bottom of this page)
To order replacement bags (if they are lost or stolen), contact us using the details at the bottom of this page.
Large one-off garden waste collections
We also offer a one-off collection for residents, community groups and garden squares of up to 20 reusable garden waste bags, for £120. Contact us using the details below to book a large one-off collection.
Contact information
Call 020 7341 5199 (Monday to Friday, between 9am and 4pm), or email us at: [email protected].
Home composting tips
Composting is a natural process that transforms your garden waste into a valuable and nutrient rich food for plants, directly reducing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Simply place bio-degradable material in your compost bin and let nature do the rest. For more information about reducing your waste and home composting tips and advice visit the Recycle Now website.
There are three options for composting your garden waste:
- Compost your own garden waste: we have teamed up with Get Composting to offer residents a variety of home composting bins - visit the Get Composting website for further information.
- Take it yourself to our Reuse and Recycling Centre (along with any old garden tools), at Smuggler's Way, Wandsworth. Find out more on the Western Riverside Waste Authorities website.
- Subscribe to our fortnightly garden waste collection service and we will collect it from your property: see the collection service page.
Things you can use to make compost
Vegetable and fruit peelings
Chop up or crush stems and large pieces of tough vegetables. Brassica stalks are most difficult. They are best attacked with a lump hammer. Some people avoid potato peel as the eyes can sprout and produce plants. If they do, pull them out and re-compost them.
Tea leaves, coffee grounds and crushed egg shells
If you are using tea bags or coffee filters, try to make sure that they are the non-chlorine bleached kind. Egg shells should be rinsed then crushed.
Weeds
The compost temperature should rise to about 66C ⁄ 150F which kills off most weed seeds and diseases. Weeds tend to be high in nitrogen and can be used as activator layers, especially nettles. Never attempt to compost pernicious weeds such as couch grass, bindweed creeping buttercup. They simply love compost heaps and will keep on growing.
Grass cuttings
High in nitrogen and a good activator. Avoid thick layers as they compact and turn to slime.
Hair
From your pet or family - no problem.
Paper
Paper (and soft cardboard such as egg trays) can be added in small amounts but should ideally be shredded.
- scrunch the small amounts of paper into a ball and add to the compost - this creates air pockets and therefore aids aerobic decomposition
- avoid coloured inks (used by most tabloid newspapers)
Animal manure
Vegetarian pets only, such as Guinea pig or rabbit and it is best mixed with straw. All are good activators but pig manure tends to be a bit smelly.
- pigeon manure is particularly rich and strong so use it sparingly
- dog and cat litter should be avoided since they can spread disease
Evergreen clippings
These take a long time to decompose and should be added only in small amounts.
- watch out for the resin you get from conifers - it is toxic and needs composting for longer
Leaves
Contain lignin and take a long time to decompose the same as wood. Best dealt with separately in leaf mould piles.
Prunings
Add only in small amounts and well chopped up. Again, they are best dealt with separately.
Straw and hay
Old and chopped is best. Soak well before adding if dry.
Spent hops
You may be able to get them from your local brewery. High in nitrogen, they make a good activator.
Vacuum dust
The contents of a vacuum cleaner sack compost excellently particularly if you have woollen carpets. Do not try and compost if you have primarily synthetic carpets - synthetic threads
Things to avoid
- body fluids, disposable nappies, used paper handkerchiefs (in case the pathogens which carry disease are not all destroyed by the composting process)
- excrement - human/cat dog (for the same reason)
- brightly coloured or shiny card or paper
- hard objects, stones, bits of glass, metal, plastic
- cleaning fluids and other household/garden chemicals
- meat (cooked - raw) the smell can attract animals
Composting tips
- chopping material for the compost bin speeds up the composting process
- if your compost bin appears too dry, add a few sprinkles of water for moisture
- make sure you have a good mix of green and brown compost material to ensure your compost is the right texture
- green material can be vegetable peelings, egg shells, tea-bags, coffee grounds
- brown material can be woody prunings, plant stems, twigs, egg boxes, crumpled paper, wood shavings
Harvesting your compost
It takes between six to nine months for your compost to be ready. However, after this time you don’t need to wait until everything in the compost bin is composted before using it.
Remove the top two thirds of material in your bin and take away the bottom third for use - this should be a crumbly, dark material, resembling soil with a fresh, earthy aroma. This is your homemade compost which you can now use to condition your soil, or as a potting mix or as a mulch ⁄ top dressing.
Then sit back to watch your garden and indoor plants come to life!