Garden waste
Kerbside green garden waste collections
The free Garden Waste collection service has now ended. Information will be released soon about 2020 service.
Christmas Tree Collections
We will collect your Christmas tree for free in mid January
Simply leave your tree out between 13 and 24 January 2020 and we will do the rest. Please ensure all decorations are removed and the tree is placed at the boundary of the property and is clearly visible from the highway.
Garden Waste Bags
We are not providing bags at the moment. This service will resume next April.
Disposing of Garden Waste until April 2020
You can take garden waste for free to any of the following East London Waste Authority (ELWA) Refuse & Recycling Centres, including:
- Chigwell Road, Redbridge
- Jenkins Lane, Newham
- Frizlands Lane, Barking & Dagenham
- Gerpins Lane, Havering
ID is required to dispose of waste at ELWA refuse and recycling centres.
Other ways to dispose of garden waste
Green waste such as grass trimmings, plant cuttings, and weeds are ideal for composting alongside waste from the home such as shredded paper, cardboard, and egg shells. Composting is great for the environment and is a fantastic natural way to dispose of garden waste.
We’d like to encourage more residents to find out the benefits of composting.
View more information on composting and how to purchase compost bins
Remember that you must dispose of all your rubbish responsibly. Dumping rubbish is a serious offence and those caught fly-tipping face a £400 on-the-spot fine.
No sign up is required. You just need to put out your green waste in the complimentary durable, woven bag on your collection day.
Check your garden waste collection day
Please ensure the bag is placed at the boundary of your property next to the pavement by 7am on collection day.
Sign up to our Green Garden Waste newsletter for updates on our free garden waste collection service for 2019.
Official borough garden waste map (854KB)
| You can put the following in to the waste bag: ✔ | We ask you not to include the following: ✖ |
| grass cuttings | household or food waste |
| hedge trimmings | paints or liquids |
| prunings and small branches | logs and tree stumps |
| weeds and leaves | plant pots and polystyrene |
| dead plants | turf or soil |
Frequently Asked Questions
- Do I need to sign up to receive this service?
You do not have to sign up again. The new service is universal, meaning that it is available and free of charge to all residents who wish to use it. - How long will the service run for?
The service will return in 2020. Details will be released soon. In the meantime you can take your waste to Chigwell Road Recycling Centre, Jenkins Lane Reuse and Recycling Centre or Frizlands Lane Reuse and Recycling Centre. - How will I know when my garden waste is being collected?
Garden waste is collected fortnightly; you can check your garden waste collection date. - Where shall I leave my green garden waste bag for collection?
Bags should be clearly displayed at the boundary of your property. If you are not using the allocated green garden waste bag please ensure the bag is untied so that the contents can be determined. - How many bags can I put out?
We encourage you to fill your Garden Waste bag in the first instance. If you have additional waste you may use alternative bags. While there is no set limit on how many bags you can put out we expect residents to understand that this needs to be a reasonable amount. If you have a large amount, you can also bring garden waste to the recycling centre. - What happens if my bag is lost, damaged or stolen?
Each property has been issued with one Garden Waste bag in 2018. - What should I do if I think the collection of my green waste has been missed?
If you think this is the case, you can report it on our missed collections webpage.
Other ways to dispose of garden waste
Green waste such as grass trimmings, plant cuttings, and weeds are ideal for composting alongside waste from the home such as shredded paper, cardboard, and egg shells. Composting is great for the environment and is a fantastic natural way to dispose of garden waste.
We’d like to encourage more residents to find out the benefits of composting.
View more information on composting and how to purchase compost bins
Remember that you must dispose of all your rubbish responsibly. Dumping rubbish is a serious offence and those caught fly-tipping face a £400 on-the-spot fine.
You can also take garden waste for free to any of the following East London Waste Authority (ELWA) Refuse & Recycling Centres, including:
- Chigwell Road, Redbridge
- Jenkins Lane, Newham
- Frizlands Lane, Barking & Dagenham
- Gerpins Lane, Havering
ID is required to dispose of waste at ELWA refuse and recycling centres.