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Garden waste frequently asked questions

Why did we introduce this service?

Bassetlaw District Council, have, for many years looked at the possibility of introducing a Garden Waste Scheme.  This helps to increase our current recycling rate, which is significantly lower than all other Nottinghamshire authorities, but also because many residents have asked us if we can run such a scheme. 

How do I sign up for the service?

To sign up use our online form.  This is the quickest and easiest way of registering for the scheme or telephone 01909 534 524.  Alternatively, applications and payment can be made at our Retford and Worksop offices.

How much will the garden waste collections cost?

The charge for the service will be £34 per season.  Extra bins can be obtained at a cost of £34 each.  There is no limit on the number of garden waste bins we will collect from your property.  There are no concessionary rates on this scheme.

When will the garden waste service start?

The 2023 service will run from March until November 2023 and collections will take place every other week.  There is no guarantee that your garden waste bin will be collected on the same day as your blue and green bins, so ensure that you read the information provided with your bin. It is possible that, as the service grows, your collection day for your garden waste may change.  We will provide you with the information and plenty of notice should this happen.

How often will you collect my garden waste?

We will collect your garden waste bin every other week between March and November.

What can I put in the garden waste bin?

Yes please No, thank you
Grass cuttings Plastic bags/bin liners 
Hedge trimmings  Food and kitchen waste
Leaves  Plant pots
Small branches and twigs  Treated wood 
Dead plants Soil 
  Bricks/rocks/stones 
  Large logs and tree branches 
  Building waste
  Grass sods
  Animal bedding/waste

 

What else could I do?

For an alternative to having your garden waste collected, you may wish to try home composting. Have a look at Get Composting for information on purchasing home composters.

Why do you not collect garden waste all year round?

Garden Waste tonnages drop substantially during the winter months. It would not be efficient nor cost effective for our customers to run the service over the winter months.

What day will my garden waste be collected?

Once you have signed up to the service, we will send you a calendar that lets you know what day your garden waste bin will be emptied.  We will provide a licence sticker for the bin to show that you have paid and are part of that years’ scheme.  It may be that your Garden Waste collection day will be on a different day to your green and blue bins. This is so we can run the service as efficiently as possible.

How will you know that I have signed up for the service?

If you have signed up and paid for the service before 31 January 2023 you will receive a bin (if appropriate) and a “licence sticker” that shows you have paid your subscription together with a calendar showing your dates of collection. 

All new orders for brown bins that are ordered between 7 November 2022 and 31 January 2023 will be delivered in February, ready for the season to start on 27 February 2023.

Do I have to have a licence sticker on the bin?

Yes, only bins showing the current licence sticker will be emptied. Please ensure the sticker is displayed on the front of your bin.

Can I cancel the service once I have signed up?

Yes, you would be able to cancel your subscription at any time. However there will be no refunds or reimbursements. The bin provided remains the property of the Council and if you cancel the subscription you would have to allow this to be collected from your property. If the bin is not made available for return the council would bill you for the cost of the bin.

Can I put vegetable peelings or “gone off” fruit/kitchen waste into the brown bin?

No, we cannot accept kitchen organic waste because of Foot and Mouth Regulations.  The majority of waste collected from the garden waste scheme goes back onto farmland, and we have to ensure that there is a break in the food chain to prevent any future outbreaks.  If you wish to dispose of your kitchen organic waste, you can do so by home composting. Get Composting has composters for sale at favourable prices.

Why is the service charged for?

To allow us to provide such a service in the current climate a charge must be made. It is fairer to make a charge to the people that use it, rather than add it onto the Council Tax, which means that the people that don’t use such a service do not pay for it.

Is it legal to charge for a garden waste service?

Yes, under the Controlled Waste Regulations 2012 we are able to charge for the collection of domestic garden waste.

I am in receipt of benefits – are there any concessions?

There are no concessionary rates for this service.

Can the garden waste bin be collected from my door?

Only people who are eligible for assisted collections on their residual and recycling waste will receive assisted collections for the garden waste scheme.

I don’t want to use this service, how can I dispose of my garden waste?

Your garden waste can be disposed of in a number of ways:-

  • You can turn your garden waste into compost at home by purchasing a home composter Get Composting
  • You can take your garden waste to the Household Waste Recycling Centres at Hallcroft Road, Retford or Shireoaks Road, Worksop where it will be sent for composting
  • If you have space you can still put it into your green wheeled bin, but please note we do not take side waste and the bin lid must be in the closed position.

What if I move home within Bassetlaw will my garden waste bin continue to be emptied?

Contact the Environment Services Department on 01909 534 524 as soon as you know when and where you are moving too.  The garden waste licence is only valid for the property it was originally purchased for and is non-transferable. We cannot offer a refund if you move outside the district.  Environment Services will be able to assist with any options if you are moving within Bassetlaw and want to carry on with the service, so long as you are moving to an area where it will be available.

Can I share a garden waste bin with a neighbour?

If you decide to allow someone else to share your bin that is up to you, but that would be an agreement between yourselves and not with Bassetlaw District Council.  The bin would be registered to one address and all correspondence and liability for payment and return of the bin at the end of the subscription to the scheme would be sent to the registered address.  Only if full payment is received will the subscription be valid.  The Council will not be involved in collecting part payments.

What if I rent my property?

It may be that you are responsible for the garden in which case you can join the scheme in the same way as anyone else. It may be that your landlord might decide to subscribe for the property so that it is a service that is in place no matter who occupies the property. If you think it would be good to use this service it would be a good idea to speak to the landlord first to see if they will join. If not then you can still do it yourself.

What is there to stop other people in the neighbourhood swapping my bin with theirs?

You will receive a sticker identifying that your bin is paid for and you can write your address onto this sticker.  There is nothing we can do about residents moving bins, but we will have details of the addresses of those who have paid for the service to cross reference where we collect a bin from.

Must I use the garden waste bin for garden waste collections?

Yes, to participate in the service residents must use the brown garden waste bin provided. We will not collect from any other colour bins during the garden Waste round.

Can I join the scheme part way through the year?

Yes you can, but to ensure that you get the most out of the service we would recommend that you join the service as soon as possible after the bookings' system opens.  That way you will get the best value for money as we are not planning to reduce the price during the year.

What if your bin has not been emptied?

We will only come out and empty a bin that has been “missed” if it was due to our mistake.

All bins must be put out for collection for 6.00am on the day of your collection, if it has not been emptied by 4.00pm on the scheduled collection day, please let us know by reporting it on the website, calling our Contact Centre on 01909 534 524 or e-mailing environment.services@bassetlaw.gov.uk.  We will then check the crew’s report sheets and vehicle cameras to see if there were any problems.

If the bin was not out when we were in the area collecting, we will not return and will empty the bin on your next scheduled collection day.  If it was an error on our part, leave the bin out and we will call out to empty the bin as soon as we are able.

My garden waste bin is missing or damaged – how do I get a replacement?

If you are signed up to the scheme and your bin goes missing or has been damaged please report it to us on 01909 534 524 and we will aim to get a replacement bin out to you as soon as possible.

Where will my garden waste be taken to?

All the garden waste will be taken to the Waste Transfer Station in Worksop.  From there it will be bulked up and more than likely taken to Oxton (Nottingham) where it will be processed and be spread onto the land.  A small percentage of it, may be sold and turned into saleable compost.

Why is garden waste collected in a wheelie bin?

The wheelie bin makes it easy for residents to store garden waste and present it at the kerbside.  The bin also reduces lifting for both you and the collection crews.

I have a large garden; can extra waste be placed in bags at the side of the bin?

We will only collect garden waste if it is presented in the stickered garden waste bin.  If you have a large amount of garden waste, extra bins can be purchased for £34 per season. Extra garden waste can also be taken the Household Waste Recycling Centres at Hallcroft Road, Retford and Shireoaks Road, Worksop.

What if my sticker that shows I have paid is damaged or stolen?

You must report a lost, damaged or stolen licence sticker using the environment.services@bassetlaw.gov.uk e-mail or contact 01909 534 524 as soon as possible so that we can send out a replacement.

Will I have to renew my subscription every season?

Yes.  You will receive a letter/e-mail at the end of each season asking if you wish to renew the subscription. 

What if I put the wrong items in my garden waste bin?

If your bin contains the wrong items, then the crew will not empty it.  You will not receive another scheduled collection until you have removed the incorrect items. 

What happens in bad weather?

Our crews work really hard to ensure that any bins presented on time will be emptied.  However, rarely, if the weather is particularly bad i.e. heavy snow, high winds, a collection may be missed. Every effort is made to catch up in these circumstances but no refunds will be made.

Last Updated on Tuesday, February 28, 2023