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Garden Waste Collection

The garden waste collection service will change to a subscription scheme from 1st July, householders wishing to continue to receive fortnightly collections will need to subscribe by 14th June.

Subscription scheme

The subscription scheme will have an annual charge of £24 per brown bin, payable in advance.  For more information on the subscription scheme please see our pdf icon Garden Waste Subscription Pack Leaflet [543kb] (distributed to current users of the service).

How do I subscribe?

Residents who currently have a brown bin, and who wish us to continue emptying it after 1st July, will need to sign up to the subscription scheme by 14th June to be sure their garden waste is collected after 1st  July.
Subscribe to the garden waste collection scheme (existing brown bin owners)
Subscribe now button

What if I don't want to subscribe?

Residents who currently use the garden waste collection service but do not wish to subscribe will have their brown bin collected by us from November 2013.

I don't have a brown bin but would like to subscribe

Please see our notes below on applying for a brown bin.

I've subscribed, what happens next?

Once you have completed the subscription form and payment has been received, you will be sent a confirmation letter and licence: this should be with you before the first collection in July.

The licence will need to be displayed on the handle of the brown bin to show the collection crew that you have paid to receive the service.  (We will provide a cable tie to fix it.)

Collection dates

There won't be any change to your collection dates from 1st July when the new subscription scheme starts.
You can view and print a copy of your collection calendar by entering your postcode here (please remember to include the space between the two parts of the postcode).

Missed collections

To report a missed collection of your refuse and/or recycling, please complete our Report a missed recycling/refuse collection form.

How does the scheme work?

Properties on the scheme are issued with a 240 litre wheeled brown bin which will be emptied by us every two weeks from March to mid December.  There are no collections during the winter months.

Residents are required to place the brown bin at the edge of their property, by 7.00am on the day of collection, with the licence displayed.

Where does the garden waste go?

We collect approximately 3,400 tonnes of garden waste per year. Material collected in the north of the District is taken to Growing with Grace at Clapham, where it is composted. Some of the resulting compost is used on site, but much is available for sale, under the name of Dales and Bowland compost. Growing with Grace are working with WRAP (Waste Resource Action Programme) to achieve PAS100, a national quality standard for compost and soil conditioner.

Green waste collected in the south of the District is composted at Yorkshire Water's site at Esholt in West Yorkshire.

Brown bin cartoon

What can go in the brown bin?

  • Grass cuttings
  • Hedge clippings
  • Tree and bush pruning's
  • Weeds and Plants
  • Dead flowers and house plants
  • Leaves
  • Fallen garden vegetables or fruit

We will not take...

  • Large branches
  • Kitchen or catering waste
  • Wood
  • Soil or stones
  • Any other household waste


Requesting a replacement bin

Please use this form to report a damaged brown bin and to request a replacement.
Please note a charge a will be made to replace lost/stolen bins and for additional recycling blue bin requests.

New users of the service

If you are moving into a new or previously empty property and would like us to start making waste and recycling collections, please contact Customer Services on 01756 700600. (You must be registered for Council Tax to be eligible for household waste and recycling collections.)

If you do not currently use the garden waste collection service but wish to register an interest in subscribing please use the link below:
Register an interest in subscribing to the garden waste collection service (new customers)

Please note that unfortunately, it is not possible for us to include all properties in the District on the garden waste collection scheme. For properties we are unable to include on the scheme, we would advise looking at home composting.

Home composting

The York and North Yorkshire Waste Partnership is currently offering residents the chance to purchase subsidised home composters. Please see our Composting page for more details.

Special limited time offer on composters

For a limited time only, 330 litre compost bins are available for only £9.

Alternatively, you can have a composter bin delivered from asl little as £18 - details on our Composting page.

More information

pdf icon Garden Waste Subscription Pack Leaflet [543kb]

pdf icon Garden Waste Collection Service Terms & Conditions [117kb]