Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council will be providing fortnightly collections of garden waste from 6 February 2012 until 21 December 2012 to make it easier for residents to recycle garden waste.
From 2012, fortnightly collections will take place on weekdays rather than at the weekend.
The collection service is for all grass cuttings, cut flowers, hedge clippings, weeds, leaves, twigs, prunings and fruit fall.
How can I sign up?
Applications will be processed as quickly as possible. If you are pre-ordering; your sack(s) and information pack will be delivered in January before the service commences, otherwise please allow five working days for delivery of your sack(s).
When signing up we allow five working days for delivery of your sack(s) and work out our charges taking this into consideration. To be eligible for the next collection, once you have signed up you need to allow five working days.
How will the service work?
For a fee, the council will provide customers with two large, hard-wearing, reuseable sacks for t
he collection of green garden waste. The collection service is only available to households within the borough.
The annual fee, payable in advance, is £28 for the collection of two sacks. Additional sacks can be collected for £10 each.
There will be 23 fortnightly collections from 6 February 2012 to 21 December 2012.
You can join the service at any time during the year and you will only be charged on a pro rata basis for the remaining collections.
Customers will be responsible for their own sacks. Lost or damaged sacks can be replaced, on request, at a cost of £10 each.
Sack(s) should be placed where you normally leave your wheeled bin for collection and be available from 7am on your collection day.
I am a returning customer. Do I need to pay if I still have my sack?
Yes. The annual fee covers the cost of 23 fortnightly collections. If you are a returning customer and are able to reuse your sack(s) from the previous collection period, you will still need to pay the annual fee. This will be £28 for the first two sacks and £10 for each additional sack. If you require new sacks, please inform us when you sign up.
What can be collected through the green garden waste collection service?
All grass cuttings, cut flowers, hedge clippings, weeds, leaves, twigs, prunings and fruit fall should be placed in your sack. Please note that any kitchen waste, including vegetable, fruit and salad peelings is not green garden waste and should not be put in the sacks.
What happens if I put the wrong waste in my sack?
If you put the wrong waste in the sack(s) it will not be collected.
Can I reuse my sacks?
If you are a returning customer who used the service last year, you can reuse your sack(s). Each sack that is reused earns you a credit for a free replacement should one of your sacks be lost or damaged later in the season.
Why is the council operating a green garden waste collection?
The council cannot recycle green garden waste that is put in the grey waste bins. Collecting green garden waste separately means that we can recycle it, rather than it being sent for incineration. We all need to recycle more and waste less.
What happens to the green garden waste?
The green garden material is composted locally to produce Pro-Grow, a high quality organic soil conditioner.
Pro-Grow is available from any Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) in Hampshire. For more information on costs visit the Pro-Grow website.
Alternatively, bulk delivery can be arranged within a 20 mile radius of Winchester, for a minimum quantity of 50 x 30 litre sacks. Outside this distance, there is a delivery charge of £10. For more details, please contact Veolia Environmental Services on 01962 764068.
How will I know when my collection day is?
We will send you this information with your sack(s). If you are a returning customer and reusing your existing sacks, you will be notified by email or post of your collection days.
How much should I put in my sack(s)?
If you overload your sack it may not be collected. If you can't lift the sack, we can't lift it. Look after both your safety and our collection crew's safety.
How big is the sack?
Each sack is 60cm x 45cm x 45cm and has a 120 litre capacity. So your first two sacks will provide a capacity equal to that of the larger 240 litre refuse bin.
I am a pensioner/receive benefits are there any concessions?
No, we do not offer any concessions.
What happens if I subscribe to the scheme and then move house or out of the borough, am I entitled to a refund?
Unfortunately we don't issue refunds, however if you move house within the borough you may take your sack(s) with you and continue with the service, but you will need to advise us about your new address and be aware that your collection day may change.
To find out more about the service, email greenwaste@basingstoke.gov.uk or call 01256 844844.
