Garden Waste Subscription Service 2024

Your Questions Answered

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Full terms and conditions can be found here

 

When can I sign up?

Residents can sign up from 5 February 2024 by clicking here.  Please note that getting a household set up in the scheme can take up to 14 days, so by signing up after the start of April, you may miss out on your first collection.

How much will the service cost and how do I sign up?

The charge in 2024 is £35 for 8 collections. Collections will be carried out between April and November only. To be eligible to receive all 8 collections you will need to have subscribed to this service prior to the date of your area’s first collection.  As it will take us four weeks to work around the full town, some households will not receive their first collection until four weeks after the commencement of the service.

When will collections commence?

Collections will commence from Tuesday 23 April 2024.  As it will take us four weeks to work around the full town, some households will not receive their first collection until four weeks after the commencement of the service. You will be informed of your first collection date upon signup.

Can I subscribe part way through the year?

Yes, you can subscribe anytime during the year but you will only receive the remaining collections due and will still pay the same price.

Why isn’t my garden waste collected all year?

We don’t provide garden waste collections in the winter months as there is less growth and, therefore, less garden waste produced. The environmental benefit of undertaking year-round collections would be outweighed by the fuel used by the vehicle, given the small amount of garden waste that would be collected.

How do you know if I’ve paid my subscription?

Once you have subscribed for this service, it will automatically be recorded in our system which can be accessed by our garden waste crews. You will also be provided with a reference number and a sticker for your bin, which will confirm you have paid for collections.  The sticker must be easily visible on your bin for it to be emptied.

How often is garden waste collected?

Garden waste is collected from subscribed properties once every four weeks during the collection season.

Will my collection date remain the same?

When you sign up for the service you will be informed of your collection day. This may be a different day from when your green and grey bins are collected. Your bin will need to be presented for 7.30am on the day of collection.

Can I get a refund if I decide to cancel my subscription?

If you change your mind, you have 14 working days from the day following payment to cancel your subscription. There are no refunds after this period. You can contact us by emailing waste.management@hartlepool.gov.uk or by telephoning 01429 523333 to cancel the service.  If a collection was due at your property during this 14-day period, you will still be charged, but may not receive the collection.  No refund will be given for this.

Are there any concessions?

No. The fixed charge applies to all households regardless of personal circumstances.

Can I have more than one bin?

Yes, but there will be a charge. You will also be charged a subscription service price per bin of £22 for any additional bins.

I do not have much garden waste, can I share a garden waste bin with my neighbour?

Yes, if this is agreed with your neighbour.  We will need one of the properties to register and make payment and this will be the property we will communicate with. The bin will need to be placed outside of the property of the householder who has subscribed to the service. We accept no responsibility for personal agreements made between neighbours.

What if I don’t want to sign up to the scheme?

If you choose not to sign up to the garden collection service, you will need to make alternative arrangements for your garden waste. Your garden waste can still be taken to the Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) in Burn Road for free. To make a booking click here. The following link provides useful information on composting your waste at home Home composting | WRAP.

I do not want the service, can you take my brown bin away?

Residents are encouraged to keep their brown bins in case they decide to take up the subscription at a later date, or to assist with home composting. If you decide to join the scheme at a later date and require a replacement bin then there will be a charge. 

If you do want to return your brown bin click here.  Whilst we will endeavour to collect all unwanted brown bins within a reasonable time, this will be dictated by the number of requests that we receive, and we may be required to temporarily suspend the brown bin removal booking system, depending on demand.

Do I get a refund if my brown bin was missed/not emptied?

No. Genuine missed collections are rare.  We may choose to check the vehicle’s on-board CCTV system to identify what went wrong. If your missed collection is our fault then we will always make an effort to collect your bin as soon as possible.

If you bin hasn’t been emptied it may be because it contains the wrong items or it’s too heavy. Look to see if a tag has been placed on your bin.

All bins should be out at the designated collection point for 7.30am on your collection day.

We reserve the right to cancel collections due to circumstances beyond our control e.g. severe weather.

Missed collections can be reported by completing our online form.

My garden waste bin has been lost or stolen, can I get another one?

You will need to contact us for a replacement bin by calling 01429 523333. There is a charge towards the cost of the purchase of the replacement bin, the administration and delivery of the bin. 

My subscription sticker has been stolen, what do I do?

We will replace stickers free of charge for any property which has already subscribed to the garden waste collection service. Please contact us on 01429 523333.  Please note that stickers are non-transferrable, and crews make checks to ensure that only properties who have paid for the service receive a collection.

What do I do if I have paid for the service and my bin is broken?

Please click here to arrange for your bin to be booked in to be repaired free of charge.

If I move house will I get a refund?

No, but you can transfer your subscription to your new property.  Please contact us on 01429 523333 to inform us of your new address.

I currently get help with my collections, will I continue to do so?

If you already receive help in the way of assisted collections, you will automatically get help with your garden waste bin when you subscribe.

I produce a very small amount of garden waste, can I have a smaller bin at a lower cost?

No, all bins are of the standard size (240ltr) and the cost is fixed.

What can I put in my garden waste bin?

Only loose, compostable garden waste may be placed in the garden waste bin.

Yes please – grass cuttings, weeds and dead plants, twigs and small branches, hedge clippings, cut flowers and house plants, shrub pruning’s, leaves and the contents of hanging baskets

No thanks – Anything not included on the ‘Yes Please’ list above, which includes, but is not limited to, general waste, food waste, plastic or plastic packaging, vegetable peelings, egg shells, tea bags and coffee grinds, large items of garden waste (tree trunks, soil and rubble), dead animals, pet bedding, animal excrement and nappies.

Can I put bagged garden waste into the bin?

The garden waste must not be placed in plastic bags or any other sort of packaging as this affects the composting process and reduces the quality of the compost. 

Will you take additional garden waste, if it will not fit in my bin?

No, we will not collect any additional waste placed next to or on top of your bin. Please ensure the bin lid is closed for collection.  If you regularly have too much to fit in your bin, you may require a second garden waste bin at a cost of £22 per annum (plus the cost of the extra bin).

Won’t this increase fly tipping?

Most local authorities have already brought in charges for garden waste collections and there is no evidence of an increase in fly tipping.  Fly-tipping is illegal and makes our Borough look unsightly.  It is not an acceptable alternative and we will take enforcement action against anyone caught doing it.

Fraudulent Activity

If you suspect any fraudulent activity please report it to the council on 01429 523333

Anyone found to be fraudulently abusing the garden waste service will be removed from the service and their bin/s removed from their property. No refund will be given.

If you’ve got a query that is not answered here, then please contact us:

Tel: 01429 523333

Email: waste.management@hartlepool.gov.uk