Garden waste: frequently asked questions

New garden waste service

The current brown paper sack service

New garden waste service

Why can’t I put my garden waste in with my normal refuse?

Normal refuse is disposed of in a landfill site. Garden waste put into landfill rots (rather than composts) and creates methane, a potent greenhouse gas. We are also running out of room in the landfill site so we need to compost as much garden waste as possible.

Why do I have to pay for this service?

Providing a free separate collection is not a viable solution.

  • Free collections of garden waste benefit only those with gardens; the larger the garden the greater the benefit. It is therefore unfair to spread the cost across all householders including those that do not have a garden.
  • We want to encourage home composting; it is the most environmentally friendly way of dealing with garden waste and can be done at no cost.
  • It is the experience of other councils that some householders do use the free bins to get rid of ordinary household waste. One bin of household waste will contaminate the whole lorry load of garden waste that it is collected with. This can mean up to 10 tonnes of compostable waste having to be dumped.

What if I don’t want to pay for my garden waste to be collected?

Alternative arrangements can be made at little or no cost for those with gardens:

  • Compost your garden waste at home. Subsidised home composters are available.
  • Take it to the nearest household waste recycling centre where it will be transferred to Hills Waste central composting facility near Calne.
I live in a rural area; can I sign up for the garden waste service?
Yes, you can sign up for the garden waste service if you live in a rural area, however, the commencement of this service will depend on where you live and the amount of interest within your area. If you do sign up for this service we will let you know when it will be available to you.

What if I don’t have room for a bin? What can I do with my garden waste?

If you don’t have room to store a bin then you can either compost your garden waste at home or take it to your nearest household waste recycling centre. You may also consider sharing a bin and the cost with a neighbour who may have more room.

My property has been considered as not suitable for a wheeled bin. Will you be providing an alternative option, such as bags, so I can make use of the service?
There are currently no plans to provide an alternative to wheeled bins for garden waste. In such cases, residents are encouraged to make use of composting facilities at the household waste recycling centre or to compost within their own garden.

Can I pay for the service but not use a wheeled bin?

No. Collections will only be from wheeled bins.

If I decide to sign up for the Garden Waste Service, what happens next?

You need to contact us with an expression of interest. You can do this by completing the online form, or by contacting the Customer Services Team on 01722 434319 or 434320.

We will send you an information pack which will include all the information you need to know and details the few simple steps you will need to take in order to get the service started. Within this information pack you will receive an agreement which needs to be signed and returned to us, along with details of how to pay. Once you return the agreement and payment, your bin will be delivered to your property and your new service can start.

If I want to sign up for this service, how do I pay?

You can pay for the new garden waste service by credit or debit card by completing and returning the payment form which will be enclosed within your information / agreement pack or by giving your card details over the phone. You can also pay by cash over the counter at Pennyfarthing House.

We will accept cheques as payment, however, this can take up to 2 working weeks to clear and may delay the start of your service. We therefore recommend that you pay by credit or debit card as this will be a lot quicker to process and means that you do not need to visit us in person.

This will be a one off payment which will last for one year. Details of how to renew the service for another year will be sent to you in due course.

If I sign up for the green garden waste service, when will I get my bin?

If you sign up for the service, and have returned your signed agreement and payment to us then you will receive your bin within 2 weeks.

If I sign up for the garden waste service, when will my garden waste be collected?

If you sign up for the new service, your garden waste bin will normally be emptied on the same day as your black recycling box. However, depending on the demand for the service across the district, there may be some locations for which collections take place on a different day than the black box. Details of your collection will be specified within your agreement.

What are the prices for a home compost bin and where can I get one from?

Specially discounted compost bins are provided by Recycle Now - to order and for the latest prices you can call 0845 077 0757 or visiting www.recyclenow.com/compost.

Will my garden waste still be collected fortnightly during the winter months when there will be less garden waste?

Yes. The service will be available throughout the year.

I don’t have room for a garden waste bin. How do I dispose of small amounts of garden waste such as dead houseplants, if I can’t put them in with my household waste?

Small amounts of green garden waste such as houseplants or cut flowers can be put in with your normal household refuse.

Can I put diseased plant material in the garden waste bin?

Yes. The composting process reaches a standard that can destroy pathogens and the potential for seed to germinate.

Can I put branches in with my garden waste?

Prunings and trimmings are acceptable but unfortunately we will not be able to accept logs or branches unless they have been shredded as these cannot be composted (which is what happens to all garden waste once it has been collected).

Can I put leaves in with my garden waste?

Yes, you can put leaves in with your garden waste.

Why can’t I put vegetable peelings in with my garden waste?

Unfortunately the composting process prohibits vegetable peelings and kitchen waste at present due to the potential contamination from bacteria from other food products.

If I sign up for the service at a later date, will the cost be the same?

Yes, this is an annual charge of £26 per bin per year, no matter when you sign up for the service. However, this charge will be reviewed annually.

I don’t generate enough garden waste to fill a 180 litre bin each fortnight. Will I get a reduction in cost?

We regret that we cannot offer a reduction in price but would like to suggest that you share a bin with a neighbour and split the cost. Residents who do wish to share a bin with a neighbour are requested to make one payment and should register the bin to one property only.

If I visit the local household recycling centre to buy compost, why should I have to pay for this compost when it may well have been collected from my property if I choose to take up the new garden waste service?

The cost of £26 per bin per year only covers the cost of collecting your garden waste and not the actual process of composting it.

I already have an assisted collection for my normal household refuse and black box, will I automatically get an assisted collection for my garden waste bin if I sign up for this service?

Because the garden waste bin has wheels and does not have to be lifted, you may find that you do not require an assisted collection for the new bin. If after having received your bin you still feel that you would require assistance, then please contact us.

The current brown paper sack service

Will the brown paper sack service continue?

No. This service is being replaced by the new garden waste service.

When will my brown sack stop being collected?

Friday 2 May 2008 will be the last day of collection for brown sacks.

When will outlets stop selling brown sacks?

31 March 2008.

What will happen to any brown sacks that I have already bought and can no longer use?

You can continue to put your brown sacks out for collection until 2 May 2008.

What do I do with my cardboard?

We will continue to collect cardboard from the kerbside. The lorry which used to collect the paper sacks will now collect only cardboard.

How do I present my cardboard for collection?

Cardboard should be bundled together and tied with string or placed inside another cardboard box in order to be collected.

Can I put my cardboard in a carrier bag for collection?

Yes you can put your cardboard out in carrier bags as long as the bags are clearly identifiable as containing cardboard. For example, we recommend that you do not use black refuse sacks as this may be mistaken for normal household refuse. Instead, you can use supermarket carrier bags.

If there are no food remnants in a pizza box, will they be alright to recycle?

As long as there is no food residue left in the box, including grease, then it can be recycled.

If the windows are removed from boxes with plastic windows, can the boxes be recycled?

Yes, if you remove the plastic windows from any cardboard boxes then they can be recycled.

Useful links

Related information

Contact details:

Telephone:
01722 434319 or 434320

email:
enhmail@salisbury.gov.uk

Postal address:
Environmental Services
Salisbury District Council
PO Box 2126
Salisbury
SP2 2DJ