Garden waste: Green bin

Sign up or renew garden waste collections

Sign up or renew garden waste collections

There are two bin sizes available and you can have as many garden waste bins as you need. Bins are £42 to buy and there is an annual subscription fee:

• small wheelie bin (140 litres) - £55
• large wheelie bin (240 litres) - £80
• concessionary rate for small wheelie bin (140 litres) - £29
• concessionary rate for large wheelie bin (240 litres) - £54

If you're claiming Housing Benefit, Council Tax Support or the housing element of Universal Credit, you may be eligible for a discounted rate. Please call 01252 622122 to apply for discounted rates.

Reporting a missed collection

If you think your bin has been missed, you should contact the Waste team within 48 hours of your planned collection date. We aim to rectify a missed collection within two working days, so please leave your bin at the collection point.

Report a missed bin 

Terms and conditions

Customers may join the scheme at any point during the year and subscriptions will be valid for 12 calendar months from the joining date. The cost of the service is non-refundable.

Collections are fortnightly and your subscription pays for 25 collections. There is a two-week break in the service over Christmas and New Year. There are no changes to your collection days on bank holidays, including Good Friday and Easter Monday. If there are unavoidable delays, collections may take place on a Saturday or Sunday.

Our system generates renewal reminders four weeks prior to renewal dates, so you only need to renew once you receive this reminder.

If you have received a renewal letter, please note the terms and conditions on this page.

If you move within Hart, you can transfer your service to the new address. Customers moving out of the district can transfer the service to another resident. Please allow ten working days to process.

Collections

You will need to put your garden waste out at the point nearest to the public highway where the collection vehicle stops, such as the end of a path or driveway. Collections are from:

• 6:30am, 1 September to 30 April
• 6am, 1 May to 31 August

All bins should have an address tag, numbered sticker or painted number. Crews will only collect the bins subscribed for and only official Hart District Council bins will be emptied.

The maximum weight for bins is 50kg. If bins weigh more than this, the crew may not collect if it is perceived to be a health and safety issue. A tag will be left on the bin if it is not emptied.

New or replacement bins

You will need to buy a new bin if it is damaged. However, if it is within the first two years of purchase and proof is provided, a replacement bin will be provided free of charge.

Bin charges and how to apply for one is on our new and replacement bins page

What can go in your garden waste bin

• grass cuttings and hedge trimmings
• weeds, leaves, twigs and branches (not exceeding 10cm in diameter)
• cut flowers and prunings
• Christmas trees up to 1.8m tall (6ft) can be left next to your bin following the festive period. Trees over 1.8m must be cut in half

What cannot go in your bin

• Japanese knotweed
• fruit fall
• branches over 10cm in diameter
• soil, turf, stones, rubble
• food waste (including fruit and vegetable peelings)
• animal waste (including bedding)
• straw, sawdust, compost
• biodegradable plastics

Frozen waste

Collection staff will attempt to empty bins where contents are frozen with tools designed for the purpose. 

The material that goes into garden waste bins tends to be damp and wet meaning that during periods of very cold weather it can become frozen. When this happens it can be difficult for the crews to empty the bins as the contents stick to the sides of the container.

There are some things that you can do to prevent your garden waste bin contents from freezing:

• do not compress the waste in your bin
• keep your bin lid shut to prevent water or snow getting inside
• move the contents around regularly using a spade or stick
• place your bin in the sun during the day
• store your bin in a sheltered area if you can, for example in a shed or garage or beside one of your house walls

If the container contents cannot be emptied because they are frozen, the container should be returned to the property and presented on the next scheduled collection.

Unexpected or unavoidable events

We will not be in breach of agreement or otherwise liable for any failure or delay in the performance of our obligations if such delay or failure results from extreme weather conditions.

These include:

• 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 our website.

Where garden waste has not been collected as a result of one of the circumstances stated above, we will be under no obligation to issue a refund or extend collections.