Garden waste terms and conditions

The garden waste collection service runs from April - November 2025 and is chargeable.

The council will carry out a maximum of 17 garden waste collections per household during this period, provided that residents have subscribed prior to 17 February 2025.

A sticker and calendar will be provided and a garden waste bin will be emptied on a day specified by the council once in every two weeks.

Subject to the following points, the council will offer its garden waste collection service to all households within the scheme area identified in the plan below. The service will not be offered to properties or service collection areas if it is not operationally practicable to do so within current resources.

Garden waste collection boundary map (PDF, 2 MB)

Each collection area/property must be easily accessible by a 26 tonne refuse collection vehicle. This includes being able to empty bins and manoeuvre the collection vehicle (turn round) easily and safely.

• The scheme is only available to those properties with gardens that lie within the identified scheme area.
• The garden waste bin(s) must be stored within the boundaries of the property.
• Collections will only be offered to properties on either an adopted or planned adopted highway.

It should be noted that the above eligibility criteria apply to all properties including those properties that require an assisted collection.

1. Residents will be required to subscribe for the garden waste collection service on an annual basis. Discounts and incentives schemes may be offered to / or removed from residents at the council's discretion and will be promoted by the council.
2. The council reserves the right to refuse an application for the garden waste collection service based on the criteria for the scheme (in the service eligibility section).
3. The payment for the collection service is per year per bin and the cost will be £38 in 2025.
4. Payment can be made by various methods including over the internet, over the telephone including by automated payment telephone line, post office and PayPoint, or by post. You can find your nearest Paypoint/Post Office outlet using Post Office branch finder and Find your local Paypoint store.
5. Residents can subscribe throughout the year until 1 September 2025, no subscriptions can be accepted after this date. Subscribe before 17 February 2025, and you will receive all 17 fortnightly collections between April and November. 
6. Upon receipt of payment the council will issue a garden waste sticker, calendar and a garden waste bin (if applicable) within 10 working days. (Exemptions apply during inclement weather, in cases of operational difficulty or any event of 'Force Majeure' and during the winter suspension period).
7. The council reserves the right to vary the fee. Appropriate notice will be given prior to any alteration.
8. The council has a duty to keep records up to date therefore we require customers to notify us of any changes to their personal details.
9. Residents can share a garden waste bin(s); however, the council accepts no responsibility for personal agreements made between neighbours. The subscription will need one name and address supplied when making the payment, the registered address will need to be written on the sticker which will be attached to the bin. The bin must be placed outside the property which is subscribed to the collection service.

1. Except where cancelled in accordance with Your Right to Cancel section, no refunds will be provided for cancellation of the service.
2. If there is any misuse of the service or the garden waste bins for that household then the service may be cancelled by the council; there will be no refund in these circumstances.
3. If a collection has been missed by the council, a repeat collection will be provided where possible, the council will return and collect the garden waste within three working days, excluding Monday. There are no refunds of all or part fees for missed collections.
4. No refunds will be provided for garden bins which are lost, damaged or stolen.

1. The garden waste bin(s) is provided for use by householder(s), but remains the property of the council. There is no limit to the number of garden waste bins that can be supplied per property.
2. If requested, householders will be provided with additional garden waste bin(s) at an additional cost for each bin plus the charge for the collection service per year.
3. Where no garden waste collection service has previously been provided, householders will be issued with the first garden waste bin free of charge.
4. Only garden waste bins supplied by the council, will be emptied. Garden waste presented in any other container will not be collected.
5. Requests for garden waste bins will be logged and issued by the council within 10 working days. (Exemptions to this clause apply during inclement weather, in cases of operational difficulty or any event of 'Force Majeure' and during the winter suspension period).
6. The garden waste bin(s) will be supplied clean and in a useable condition. The registered person is responsible for the general condition and cleaning of the garden waste bin whilst in their possession.
7. There will be a charge for replacement bin(s) if it has been damaged and cannot be repaired by the council free of charge. There will also be a charge for replacement bin(s) if either lost or stolen. A wheeled bin lost/stolen will be subject to a charge, subsequent bins lost/ stolen will be replaced free of charge by the council within a rolling calendar year of the initial replacement.
8. The council will accept no liability for garden waste bins used for any other purpose other than for the collection of garden waste. Misused garden waste bins may be removed.
9. The council reserves the right to remove all garden waste bins that are not used for the garden waste collection service or if there is evidence of misuse.
10. On payment of the annual subscription the council will issue each householder with a bin sticker and calendar. Stickers issued by the council for the garden waste collection service must be placed below the bin handle and are the responsibility of the householder. Garden waste bins must be presented with the sticker facing towards road / collection route.
11. No service will be provided for garden waste bins not displaying a garden waste sticker and / or not recorded on the council's Bartec system (electronic information recording system) for the corresponding year.

Exemptions to these clauses apply during inclement weather, in cases of operational difficulty or any event of 'Force Majeure' and during the winter suspension period.

1. Garden waste will be collected once every two weeks on a specified day. The council reserves the right to alter the collection day, but will provide notice to subscribers of any changes.
2. The service normally operates from Tuesday to Friday (subject to change). Subscribers will be issued with collection details prior to the service starting showing the proposed dates for collection of the garden waste bin.
3. The council reserves the right to alter the dates of the collection season or collection days. Appropriate notice will be given prior to any alteration.

1. Garden waste bin(s) must be presented at the kerbside of the property (identified by the postal address) by 7.00am on the day of collection. The garden waste bin(s) are to be placed at the same point as the residual and recycling collection service bin(s) for collection on their respective day of collection.
2. All garden waste bins must be clearly visible from the road, without any obstructions, away from hedges and walls.
3. After emptying, the garden waste bins will be returned to the boundary of the property. It is the resident's responsibility to ensure that the garden waste bins are brought back onto their property the same day.
4. Properties that have an agreed special circumstances collection that has been arranged by the council must place the garden waste bin at the agreed collection point by 7.00am on the specified collection day.

An assisted collection service is available upon request for eligible households. If you already receive assisted collections and you are eligible for the Garden Waste Collection Service, it will automatically be arranged for your garden waste bin when you subscribe.

1. You have the right to appeal to the Council if your property has been excluded from the scheme but you feel that your property is eligible based on the criteria outlined in the service eligibility section.
2. A review of all relevant information submitted will be undertaken by the Council but if the appeal is not upheld no further appeals may be submitted unless there has been a change in your circumstances.
3. Residents, charities and community centres can appeal by going online and completing the online form or by contacting Customer Services.

Note: The appeal should contain reasons why you feel your property meets the eligibility criteria set out in the service eligibility section together with any supporting information.

1. Garden waste bins are to be presented for collection by 7.00am on the designated day of collection.
2. If garden waste bins are not presented by 7.00am on the day of collection in the agreed location, garden waste bins cannot be reported as missed and will not be considered as a 'missed' collection. Responsibility for disposal of the garden waste will then become that of the householder.
3. Garden waste bins not presented for collection at the time the bin crew arrive at the property will be recorded on the round sheet and/or electronic Bartec system, which will be submitted to the supervising officer and customer service team at the end of the working day.
4. If a bin is recorded on the round sheet/Bartec system as 'not presented', responsibility for disposal will become that of the householder and the council will not return to collect the garden waste.
5. Should a missed collection be reported on the designated day of collection (subject to the record sheet/Bartec system not showing any information from the crew as to why the collection has been missed), the council will aim to collect the garden waste bin within three working days, excluding Monday.
6. In the event of sustained adverse weather such as severe snow and ice the service may be suspended. Attempts will be made to return and empty the bin where practicable however collections cannot be guaranteed. There will be no refunds in any circumstances where collections do not take place.
7.  Where householders do not present their garden waste bin(s) for collection in accordance with the council's requirements, the householder will have the following options:
   • take the garden waste to a recycling centre (tip)
   • store the garden waste until the next collection day
   • contact the council to arrange and pay for a Book a bulky waste (large items) collection
8. All garden waste must be presented safely and suitably in the bin(s) provided on the next collection day.

1. The scheme relates to a collection service from a particular property or household. The service is not transferable either within or outside of County Durham. The payment made is for the collection service at the property.
2. If you move house, please leave the garden waste bin at the property.
3. The council has a duty to keep records up to date therefore we require customers to notify us of any changes to their personal details.

1. Only loose garden waste may be placed in the garden waste bin. Garden waste includes grass cuttings, flowers, small tree branches, loose leaves, shrub and hedge trimmings, but not large branches (greater than 7 cm in diameter), and we ask for no turf, earth, soil, log rolls, carpets, weed matting, plant labels, textiles, timber fencing, metal, stones, gravel etc. A fuller list is available at What goes in which bin? The garden waste must not be placed in plastic bags or any other sort of packaging, as this affects the composting process and contaminates the resultant compost.
2. Contaminated garden waste bin(s) (such as bin(s) containing incorrect materials) will not be emptied. If the bin(s) is contaminated it is your responsibility to remove the item(s) of contamination prior to the next collection. If the contamination continues, the council may remove the bin without refund.
3. Garden waste bin(s) that are overflowing or overweight will not be emptied. A sticker will be placed on the bin(s) by the crew to identify it as being overweight when they are either not able to move the garden waste bins, or the vehicle is not able to lift the bin to empty it. If the bin is too full or overweight, it is the householder's responsibility to remove the item(s) prior to the next collection. If the householder fails to do so we may remove the bin without refund.
4. The bin lid(s) must be closed when presented for collection.
5. No side waste will be collected, ie no extra garden waste next to the bin or balanced on the lid.

1. You have 14 working days from the date following payment to cancel the service.
2. Requests must reference 'garden waste cancellation', the eight digit customer reference number and the relevant contact details.
3. Your details will be retained for marketing purposes for the council's waste related services for one year should you opt out of the scheme.
4. Cancellations can be accepted by letter, email or phone to:

Business Services
Durham County Council
Neighbourhoods and Climate Change
County Hall
Durham
DH1 5UQ
03000 26 0000
gardenwaste@durham.gov.uk

These terms and conditions of the garden waste collections service do not affect your statutory rights.

Privacy notice - waste disposal and recycling (PDF, 168 KB)

The council has a duty to keep records up to date therefore we require customers to notify us of any changes to their personal details.

1. The council reserves the right to vary these terms and conditions at any time and you will be notified of any changes.
2. The council reserves the right to withdraw its service at any time. The council will give one month's written notice should the withdrawal be permanent. No refund will be issued, and the bin will be removed.