Garden waste

Each household is provided with one green wheelie bin. This bin is for garden waste only.

What garden waste can I put in my green bin?

Please put the following materials in your green wheelie bin as they can be composted.

• Grass cuttings
• Hedge clippings
• Annual weeds
• Leaves
• Small branches (maximum length: 1 metre / 3 feet, maximum diameter: 7.5cm / 3 inches)
• Small prunings

What should I not put in my green bin?

Do not put the following materials in your green wheelie bin as they cannot be composted.

• Animal waste
• Food waste
• Bricks, rubble, or concrete
• Household waste
• Large branches or tree stumps (Branches over 7.5cm / 3 inches diameter or 1m / 3ft in length and will not be collected)
• Paper and cardboard
• Plastics
• Soil and stones
• Wire and nails

If you have a query or issue relating to a collection, please report it using our online.

Please note:

• Contaminated wheelie bins or reusable sacks will not be emptied.
• If the reusable sack is too heavy for you to lift, then it is too heavy for the collection crew to lift.
• Garden waste put out as part of domestic waste will not be collected.
• Only garden waste that is placed in the proper bin will be collected.

If the collection crew have placed a yellow sticker on the rubbish it means that the waste is considered to be contaminated. These items will not be removed and remain the responsibility of the householder.

Replacement green bin

You can replace damaged or lost and stolen waste bins and bags, including garden waste bins. You can also request these if you have moved into a new home that doesn’t have them. Requests for replacement garden waste bins are chargeable.

Extra garden waste bin

If you have loads of garden waste you might want to consider an extra garden waste bin. By subscribing, you continue to receive your normal green waste pick-ups plus an additional brown lidded bin.

A second bin enables you to easily get rid of more garden waste. Simply do your gardening, pop the waste into your garden waste bins and put out for collection as normal.

It's really easy to subscribe to online. An additional garden waste bin will cost a one-off payment of £33.31 for the bin, plus £42 a year for garden waste collection.

Additional garden waste collections - Late Autumn to Early Spring 2023/24

This service provides an extra six collections of green waste between late autumn and early spring 2023/24.

You will first receive three extra collections when the free service ends in October/November. After this you will get three more collections before the free service starts again in March.

If you are creating additional garden waste and cannot fit it into your green bin, please consider the following options:

Compost your garden waste.

Take your garden waste to the Household Waste Recycling Centre

• Household Waste Recycling Centre

Consider our Bulky items service.

• Bulky items

Home composting

Nearly a third of what we throw away is garden and kitchen waste. For example grass cuttings, leaves, and vegetable peelings.

These can easily be turned into compost which can be used on your garden. This helps to reduce the amount of rubbish that is sent to landfill. It in turn also helps to reduce the costs associated with taking away your garden waste.

Digging compost into your garden will help to improve the texture, drainage and aeration of the soil and adds nutrients. Home composting is also the environmentally friendly alternative to peat-based products.

Details about discounted composters available to Dudley residents is available on the Dudley Recycles website.