What goes in your bins

6. Brown bin (garden waste)

Your brown bin will be collected every four weeks as per your bin collection calendar. Bins should be placed out the night before collection day, however in some town centre areas bins may require to be placed out on the day of collection.

Check your bin collection day

Collections will take place between 5.45am – 10.00pm (Mon-Thur), 5.45am – 9.00pm (Fri). If your bin was not collected please report a missed bin collection.

Please note that brown bins are not collected during the winter months of December, January and February. You can still arrange a free, individual collection during these months (1 per month) using the online brown bin winter collection form.

What goes in my brown bin?

DO put in your brown bin

  • Bark
  • Branches and twigs
  • Flowers and plants
  • Grass cutting
  • Hedge trimmings
  • Leaves
  • Shrub prunings
  • Weeds and dead plants

DO NOT put in your brown bin (alternative options)

  • Animal faeces (non-recyclable bin)
  • Blocks of wood (typically accepted as ‘Wood Waste’ at Recycling Centres)
  • Bricks or stones (typically accepted as ‘Rubble’ at Recycling Centres)
  • Garden furniture (donation to charity or Recycling Centres for reuse, recycling or disposal)
  • Hosepipes (donation to charity or Recycling Centres for reuse, recycling or disposal)
  • Large quantities of soil (typically accepted as ‘Garden Waste’ at Recycling Centres)
  • Large rootballs (typically accepted as ‘Garden Waste’ at Recycling Centres)
  • Plant pots and trays (non-recyclable bin)
  • plastic bags (non-recyclable bin)
  • Rubble (typically accepted as ‘Rubble’ at Recycling Centres)
  • Turfs of grass (typically accepted as ‘Garden’ Recycling Centres)

If any of the above materials are placed in your brown bin it may not be emptied and it may not be possible to compost the green waste at the composting plant.

Request a bin

Additional information

If you are not sure whether a certain item can be placed in your blue bin please contact the recycling helpline on 0300 123 0900.