Yesterday, clear new rules on recycling and sorting waste came into force across the UK. The goal of these regulations is to streamline collection and reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills. But what to do new, Simple household recycling rules Means for garden waste?
If you are planning to carry out some April gardening jobs This weekend, you’re bound to produce garden waste, whether it’s empty plant pots or grass clippings. The new rules stipulate that food and garden waste must be collected separately from other recycling, and provide councils with a list of what they do not need to collect.
What can’t go in garden waste under the new rules
Under the new rules, councils do not have to accept the following items in garden waste:
Article continues below
- Animal bedding
- Heavy waste (including garden furniture and fencing)
- Garden tools or other gardening tools
- Plant pots
- Plastic
- Sand
- Sawdust
- Stone, gravel or bricks
- Tea bags or coffee grounds
- Branches and trees of a certain size have to be cut into smaller pieces to follow local guidelines
(Image credit: Future plc)
What can go in garden waste?
While there are clear rules on what councils are not required to collect from garden waste, you will need to check with your local council what they will accept. However, as a general guideline, most councils accept the following:
- Christmas tree
- Cut flowers, plants and weeds
- cutting grass
- Hay and straw (no animal bedding)
- Hedge clippings
- Leaves and bark
- Small branches or pruning
- Windfall fruit from your garden
Does the council need to provide a garden waste bin?
The rules have not changed, whether or not councils are required to offer garden waste collection as standard. Local authorities may still charge for garden waste collection, but this will vary from council to council.
This New rules state at gov.uk states that ‘Waste collection authorities are only obliged to collect garden waste if the household has requested the service and paid any associated charges.’
(Image credit: Future PLC / Poly Alts)
While some councils will accept garden waste in your brown food bin, which must be collected weekly under the new rules, this is not universally the case. Some councils may offer a separate free garden waste collection; However, for others, you may need to request garden waste collection and pay any associated charges.
For example, where I live, my waste collection is managed by Wandsworth Council, who offer free garden waste collection of up to five bags collected in the same way as other waste bags. However, where my mother lives, it covers North Yorkshire CouncilWhich requires you to pay £52 for a garden waste licence, which covers a 240-litre wheelie bin to be emptied a fortnight.
You can check the regulations for your local area by checking or searching through your council’s website gov.uk garden waste disposal page. If your council doesn’t offer free garden waste collection, it may be worth looking around for alternatives For the sake of the house Reuse grass clippings or other waste in your own garden and feed your garden for free.
