Garden waste collection

What the service offers

• Fortnightly kerbside collection only stopping for two weeks over Christmas
• A choice of a 140 litre or 240 litre wheeled bin
• 12 month subscription

Sign up or renew your subscription

What we collect

• Hedge and grass cuttings
• Weeds, leaves, plants and cut flowers
• Twigs and branches up to 10 cm in diameter
• Real Christmas trees

What we don't collect

• Food waste, vegetables and fruit peelings
• Fallen fruit
• Plant pots or plastic
• Animal waste or pet bedding
• Straw, sawdust or compost
• Soil, turf, stones, gravel or rubble
• Fences, MDF or treated wood
• Japanese knotweed
• Large branches or logs over 10cm in diameter

Charges, terms and conditions

Terms and conditions of the service

Before requesting this service please read our garden waste collection service terms and conditions

1. Subscription

• Customers may join the scheme at any point during the year.
• Customer subscriptions will be valid for 12 calendar months from the date of joining.
• Customers will be sent a reminder in advance of the renewal date to renew their subscription. If the subscription is not renewed the service will be cancelled.
• If a customer moves within the borough or district they can transfer the service to their new address. Customers moving outside of the borough or district can transfer the service to another resident. Allow ten working days to process this.
• The cost of the service is non-refundable .

2. New or replacement bins

• If your bin goes missing, is damaged or stolen you will need to purchase a new one. However, if it is within the first two years of purchase and proof is provided of the same then a replacement bin will be provided free of charge.

3. Collection dates

• There will be 25 garden waste collections per year, except as may be provided for by clause 7.
• Collections will take place once a fortnight on your designated day.
• Collection days remain the same through the year except as detailed below and will not change on bank holidays including Good Friday and Easter Monday.
• No collections will take place for the two-week period over Christmas and the New Year, information will be posted on the Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council and Hart District Council websites.
• If unavoidable delays are experienced, collections may take place on a Saturday or Sunday.

4. Collections

• Bins and sacks must be presented for collection by 7am in Basingstoke and Deane and by 6.30am in Hart District Council.
• Bins and sacks should be presented for collection at the nearest point to the public highway (pavement or road) accessible by the collection vehicle. This could be on the boundary of your property, on the footpath, or at the end of your path or shared drive.
• Only official Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council/Hart District Council bins and sacks will be emptied.
• All bins and/or sacks must be identifiable with an address by means of an address tag, numbered sticker, or paint.
• Collection teams will only collect the number of bins and/or sacks subscribed for.
• The maximum weight for sacks is 20kg and the maximum weight for bins is 50kg. The Contractor reserves the right not to collect a sack or bin where it is above the maximum weight bu the Contractor's operative reasonably believes collecting it will result in a Health & Safety issue. If a collection is unable to take place due to bins/sacks being overweight collection crews will leave a tag on the bin or sack.
• For Basingstoke sacks only - a weighted object should be left next to the sacks so it can be placed on the empty sacks to prevent them blowing away.

5. Contents of bins/sacks

• The bins and/or sacks can be used for the collection of grass cuttings, hedge trimmings, cut flowers, weeds, leaves, twigs, and prunings. The maximum diameter of branches allowed in garden waste containers is no more than 100mm to ensure the material is suitable for processing.
• The containers cannot be used for food waste (including fruit and vegetable peelings), soil, turf, stones, rubble, fruit fall, animal waste (including bedding), Japanese knotweed, wood, biodegradable plastics, straw, sawdust, or compost.
• Frozen garden waste – Collection staff will use a tool and attempt to empty bins where contents are frozen, if they cannot be dislodged the crew will return later in the day.
• If a collection is unable to take place due to bins/sacks containing the incorrect items collection crews will leave a tag on the bin or sack.

6. Reporting a missed collection

• In the event that a bin and/or sack that has been presented correctly and missed by the refuse collector this must be reported by the end of the next working day:
  
  Basingstoke : www.basingstoke.gov.uk/missed bin
  
  Hart : www.hart.gov.uk/missed-bin-collection-reporting-form
  
  
• The bin and/or sack must remain at the collection point so that the refuse collector may return and collect them, which will be within two working days.
• The refuse collector will not return for any bins and/or sacks that do no comply with clauses 4 and 5.

7. Force majeure

• The council shall not be in breach of this agreement or otherwise liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations if such delay or failure results from extreme weather conditions including fire, flood, storm or earthquake and any other natural disaster or acts of God, riots, war, acts of terrorism, unplanned road closures or other unforeseen access issues, Government restrictions relating to an epidemic or pandemic or otherwise, illness or staff shortages as a result of an epidemic or pandemic, business disruption caused by a pandemic or epidemic or any other event caused by circumstances beyond the reasonable control of the refuse contractor but excluding any industrial dispute relating solely to the Contractor, the Contractor’s Personnel or any other failure in the Contractor’s supply chain.
• Where garden waste cannot be collected information will be posted on the Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council and Hart District Council websites.
• Where garden waste has not been collected as a result of one of the circumstances stated under clause 7.1 the Council shall be under no obligation to issue a refund or extend collections.

On your collection day

Containers must be out by 6am (May to August) or 7am (September to April). We can send you stickers to write your property number on, just complete a bin sticker form.

Frequently asked questions

I'm a renewing customer can I renew my sacks?

Yes, existing sack customers can renew with sacks after 1 April 2023 until 1 April 2024, though we ask all sack customers to be mindful of the following:

• By 1 April 2024 any sack subscriptions will need to have transferred to a wheeled bin subscription in order for service to resume.
• Should any sacks go missing or become damaged, replacements are only available until stocks last.
• If a replacement sack is required, but stock is no longer available, then the subscription will need to be transferred to a bin service, and a wheeled bin purchased.

We recommend upgrading your sack subscription to a wheeled bin service as soon as possible. Using bins instead of sacks minimises manual handling risks to our customers and crew. Using a bin also presents better value for money, with one 240L wheeled bin offering the same capacity as 2.5 sacks, for the same service fee as two sacks.

I already have a garden waste container, when will my collection start if I sign up?

We need to extend our process for garden waste sign ups. Your collections will start on your closest collection day, 20 working days after you sign up. We appreciate that this may be frustrating, however it has been a necessary temporary change to allow new sign ups to be taken.

What happens to the garden waste we collect?

Garden waste is taken to an outdoor composting plant in Hampshire where it is turned into an organic soil conditioner called Pro grow Pro-Grow.

This is available to purchase from all Household Waste and Recycling Centres across Hampshire or online.

What time do I need to put my container out for collection?

Your containers should be ready for collection by 6am (May to August) or 7am (September to April).

My sacks are heavy, will you still take them?

Sacks must not weigh more than 20kg. As per our health and safety guidance, collection staff will leave sacks that are too heavy. The manual handling risks that overweight sacks present to our crews is one of the reasons why we are phasing out the use of these containers. Sacks will no longer be available for use from April 2024.

Will you take excess garden waste?

No, we only empty the containers you have paid to use as the rounds/vehicles only have enough capacity for these.

If you currently use sacks, exchanging two sacks for a 240L wheeled bin for garden waste will give you an extra 60 litres of capacity for the same subscription fee. You will need to purchase the bin. Please note, sacks will no longer be available for use across the service from April 2024.

Can I change the number of containers I am currently signed up for?

You will be able to change the number of containers on your subscription. Please contact us if you need to order containers and please be aware that we may be experiencing high demand and therefore delivery may take longer than usual. Please also note that as garden waste subscriptions using sacks will no longer be available from April 2024, these containers are being phased out and may not be available.

Can I continue to use my sacks even if I have purchased a bin?

If you have paid for a bin only service we won't empty any sacks that are put out for collection. Please note, sacks will no longer be available for use across the service from April 2024.

What happens to my collection service if I move home?

If you move within the borough, you can transfer the service to your new address. If you move out of the borough, you can transfer the service to another resident, please note your collection week/day may change. Please allow ten working days for us to make the change.

Can I use bin liners in my bin?

No, please do not use bin liners in your bin.