Garden waste collections will resume in the spring. We'll update this webpage soon with details of how to subscribe to garden waste collections in 2025.
What to put in your garden waste bin
- Grass cuttings
- Hedge and shrub clippings
- Plants and weeds
- Leaves, twigs and bark
- Cut flowers
- Windfalls (fallen fruit such as apples).
What not to put in (these items won't be collected)
- Soil, pot plant compost, turf, ash or garden chemicals
- Plastic (including plastic bags, bin liners, carrier bags or plant pots)
- Food or kitchen waste (including raw or cooked food)
- Stones or rubble
- DIY rubbish, timber or sawdust
- Animal waste or bedding
- Metal or glass.
We can't empty your garden waste bin if it
- Contains items that can’t be composted
- Contains any bags - garden waste must be loose and not in bags
- Is too full for the lid to close
- Is too heavy to empty safely.
If you have large amounts of heavy garden waste, you can split it over several garden waste collections, take it to the tip (also known as the household recycling centre) or alternatively it can be composted at home.
Alternatively, you can subscribe for multiple garden waste collections. If you already have additional garden waste bins please indicate the number that you want to pay for when you subscribe. If you do not already have the extra bin please call the council call centre on 0121 368 1177 (weekdays 8am to 5pm).
What happens to your garden waste
Your garden waste is taken to specialised sites in the region and using a process called open windrow composting is converted into a soil improver.