Garden waste

The latest information regarding garden waste collection in Northumberland during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

This information was last updated 22 September 2020

Check your collections date at www.northumberland.gov.uk/bins

Our garden waste collection service is still running during this time. If you think your garden waste collection has been missed, please visit out alerts page here to find out if your area was affected and when it will be collected. If you would like to report a missed garden waste collection, visit our dedicated garden waste page here for more information.

Please put your bins out before 7am on your normal bin collection day. You can help us by thoroughly washing your hands for at least 20 seconds before and after touching your bins - as well as applying social distancing rules - this is really important.
 

More garden waste information

For more information on your garden waste service, please click here. You can find out information such as: 

• How to subscribe to the service
• What can and can't go in your garden waste bin
• How to report a missed garden waste collection

Subscribing to our garden waste kerbside collection service can save you time and fuel, as well as mess in your vehicle.

Our service covers most of Northumberland and operates from early March to the end of November/beginning of December.

If you wish to subscribe for 2020, you can check online here or call us on 0345 600 6400 to check if your address is included in the route.

Please click here to see our garden waste terms and conditions.

• You can also take garden waste to our household waste recovery centres (the tip).
  • Find out more about your local household waste recovery centre here.
• You could also try composting.
  • For more information about home composting, please click here.

How to subscribe

If you already subscribe to the garden waste collection scheme, you will receive a yearly invitation in late January or early February to re-join, complete with information on collection dates.

PLEASE NOTE: If you do not receive your letter, please let us know by calling us on 0345 600 6400.

To pay for your garden waste collection service, please quote your reference number.

See garden waste collection dates for current subscribers here.
 

What can I put in my garden waste bin?

Yes	No
Leaves	Kitchen waste (such as fruit and vegetables*)
Grass	Soil or rubble
Weeds	General household rubbish
Small branches	Plant pots or fence panels
Hedge	Garden equipment or tools
Tree cuttings	Garden fittings or furniture

*Fruit and vegetable peelings may have been contaminated by cooking oil, meats or plate scrapings and therefore cannot be processed in the same manner as other garden waste. The animal by-product legislation means the ‘open-air windrow’ method of composting cannot be used to process kitchen waste, following strict controls implemented to safeguard animal health and prevent any foot and mouth or swine flu outbreaks etc. But you can put fruit and vegetable peelings into your own if this isn’t to be used commercially/agriculturally.

On the day, please remember:

• Your garden collection day may not be the same as your regular bin collection day.
• Put your bin out before 7am.
• Place your bin at the side of the kerb, outside of your property.
• Take your bin back once it has been emptied.

Putting the wrong materials in your garden bin will mean we may not empty it, and no refund or partial refund will be made.
 

Missed garden waste collections

If your garden waste collection was missed, you can report it to us online. Before reporting, please ensure your garden waste bin was out by 7am on your collection day - click here to find your garden waste collection day -  and that your bin did not have any wrong material in, as this may lead to your bin not being emptied. 

Please also check out alerts page here before reporting a missed bin - it may be that collections in your area did not take place on their designated day. If so, this will be reported on the alerts page and a new collection date will be put in place.

Report a missed residential bin collection (household waste, recycling, or garden waste)

The above form will allow you to select which type of bin collection was missed. Enter your details on the first page and then select 'Garden waste' from the drop down box on the next page, if you wish to report a missed garden waste collection. 

To pay for your garden waste collection service, quote your reference number to pay:

From 14 May 2020 we are able to accept new customer applications for the garden waste collection service in certain parts of Northumberland - click here to check if the service is available in your area or give us a call on 0345 600 6400.

The price for the 2020 season is £43. This is the season charge per bin, no matter when you join in the 2020 season, so if you join before March you will qualify for 20 collections, but residents who join later will not have the benefit of all the collections.

Paid for stickers will be delivered by Royal Mail.  

You can buy bags of compost from Northumberland County Council at your local household waste recovery centre.

Compost/ soil conditioner can be bought from our household waste recovery centres for about £3.30  per bag (2018 price). If there are none available at the time of your visit, bags can be ordered with expected delivery to the site between two to three days.

The compost is made from garden waste collected through our garden waste collection scheme.

Residents can buy compost in bulk from James Enderby (01434 602786 or 07717 416643).  James will offer you a quote on the basis of time and distance. You can also visit the DJ and SJ recycling website by clicking here.

Residents choosing to pay for the service online, using a debit or credit card, will be automatically entered into a prize draw for a chance to win a refund of their yearly subscription. One customer will win per month between February and November.

2020 winners include:

1. RM from Stakeford
2. MB from Wylam 

Here we answer your frequently asked questions about garden waste.

How do I renew this service?

Services are renewed annually in February. We will have sent you a renewal email or letter containing your unique 12-digit reference number that is required to pay for the scheme in late January/Early February. You will then be able to pay online using your card and reference number. 

 

I’m a new customer, how do I join?

Please click here to check if you are eligible to apply for your collection.

We ask for applications for garden waste collections to be submitted during February and March. If we confirm we are able to collect from your area, you will be given a unique reference number that is needed to pay for the service. 

PLEASE NOTE: Due to high demand on this service we cannot accept any new applicants or requests for additional garden bins at this time.

 

Which payment options are available?

You can pay:

• online using a credit or debit card (you will need your unique reference number)
• at any of our Customer Service Centres, where you can take your payment with you (please click here for more information about your local Customer Service Centre)
• by phone on 0345 600 6400 using a credit or debit card

After you pay, you will be issued with a garden bin, and a Garden Waste bin sticker (for the current season) will be posted to you. This must be fixed on top of your bin, so we can easily identify your bin as eligible to be emptied throughout the paid-for season.

PLEASE NOTE: If you want to cancel the service, you must notify us in writing or by email within 14 days of payment in order for us to consider any refund.

 

 

What happens if my garden waste bin is missed?

If we have missed your garden bin, every effort will be made to return to collect it, providing it was missed through a fault of our own. However, if it has been missed due to bad weather or other circumstances beyond our control eg. the effect on service delivery due to the coronavirus, then this may not always be possible.

Unfortunately, we cannot pay refunds or part refunds for missed garden waste bins.   

 

Why isn’t my bin collected in winter months?

There are no collections from December to February because of the limited amount of garden waste produced. It is considered bad for the environment and expensive on fuel to send vehicles out during these months.
 

 

What happens if I move house or leave Northumberland?

If you move house within Northumberland then we may be able to arrange that your garden waste contract is moved to the next property but it is best to speak with the Admin staff at your depot first. Please click here for our contact information, and ask for a call back from your local depot.

PLEASE NOTE: We are unable to provide a service both at your old house in addition to your new house unless extra payment is made.

If you leave the Northumberland area, then we cannot permit you to take your council-owned garden bin with you. We suggest therefore that you either agree to share the year’s cost with the new resident, that you leave it for the new owners to use if they so wish at your expense, or that you let us know and cancel the service.