Garden Waste Collection Service FAQs

The cheapest and most environmentally friendly way to dispose of your garden waste is to home-compost it. If you don't have the time or the space to home compost effectively, the Garden Waste scheme will take your waste away for you to be disposed of in an environmentally friendly way by turning it into compost.

East Sussex County Council offers a range of subsidised composters and food waste digesters with options to suit all kinds of situations - telephone: 01273 482323 or visit www.eastsussex.gov.uk.

Alternatively, garden waste can still be taken to the Household Waste Recycling sites located off Bexhill Road (A259) between St Leonards and Glyne Gap/Ravenside Retail Park or the Mountfield site located on London Road (A2100), between Battle and John's Cross.

The Garden Waste scheme currently costs £73 for a 12 month period from the start of membership.

You can apply using our online application form. You will be required to pay the current annual fee and submit your direct debit details for future renewals.

The Controlled Waste Regulations 2012 allow for a charge to be made for the collection of garden waste. This makes sure that residents who do not have a garden, who home compost already, or do not wish to use this service do not pay for it through their council tax.

You can cancel using our online cancellation form.

This must be received at least 10 working days before the end of your subscription. Please ensure you cancel the direct debit with your bank/building society.

Each year, the cost and disposal of garden waste increases and is built into the waste collection contract. Rother District Council subsidises their service cost and their residents pay less. In Hastings the entire cost is covered by the fee charged to residents because if we subsidised the cost it would penalise over 85% of residents in Hastings if we were to increase the council tax for those who don't use the service.

If you are moving within the borough, you can advise us of your move on our online amendment form.

If you are moving out of the borough, you will need to cancel the subscription using our online cancellation form.

No refunds are given for early cancellations.

The Garden Waste bins are the same size and type as the standard household refuse and recycling bins used across the town. They have a capacity of 240 litres and measure 1075mm (42.3 inches) high, 580mm (22.8 inches) wide and 725mm (28.5 inches) deep.

Garden waste bins can only be delivered to your property and are not available for collection.

Unfortunately, we are currently unable to offer smaller bins for this scheme.

The bins will be collected fortnightly, including bank holidays, but collections will be suspended over the two-week period that covers Christmas and New Year.

There may be times when we cannot collect your garden bin. Information will be on our website and Facebook page in these situations.

When you join the scheme you will get told your collection day. You can check your bin collection day at any time.

Any garden materials need to be loose in the bin. Please do not place any bagged garden waste in the bin.

What you can put in your garden bin:

• loose grass cuttings
• Wood chippings
• Hedge trimmings
• Small branches (less than 100mm/4inches in diameter)
• Cut flowers
• Leaves
• Plant cuttings
• Plants
• Weeds (Not Japanese Knotweed)

What you can't put in your garden bin:

• Soil
• Large branches (more than 100mm/4inches in diameter)
• Kitchen waste of any sort
• Paper
• Card
• Shredded paper
• Animal waste
• Clothing
• Stones
• Bagged material
• Inorganic material e.g. plastics
• Japanese Knotweed

No, all garden waste needs to be loose. All materials are shredded and bags would contaminate the compost.

Your bin will not be emptied. You will need to remove the items or take the waste to the local household and recycling site.

No, we will only be able to take garden waste that is in the bin. Any additional waste put out by the side of the bin, for example in bags or boxes, will not be taken. If you find that you regularly have more garden waste than fits into the bin, we can provide a second bin at an additional charge.

No Our current composting facilities are unable to take these items.

We suggest you compost these in a Home Compost bin which are available at very low prices from East Sussex County Council; telephone: 01273 482323 or visit www.eastsussex.gov.uk.

The maximum load is 100kg. As a general rule if the bin is too heavy to push then we won't be able to collect it.

You need to present your bin unobstructed, clearly visible from the front of your property, on the path next to the highway the collection vehicle uses from 7am (except The Ridge and Bexhill Road at 6am)

Garden waste needs to be loose in the bins and can be very heavy.
All properties requiring assistance will need to be assessed and approved before collections commence. Properties that receive assistance with their Twin Bins will not automatically qualify for an assisted garden waste collection.

Residents who require assistance need to contact us on 01424 451077 or email recyclingandwaste@hastings.gov.uk to discuss your individual requirements.

If your bin is not emptied you can report a missed collection on our online missed bin form. You must report any missed collections after 8pm on the day of collection up to 5pm the next working day.

If your bin was not presented within a metre of the highway, or it was contaminated with incorrect materials, you will need to wait for your next collection.  

The compost material is used to make various grades of soil conditioner which is used in the landscaping industry and for crop growing. This is available to purchase at the Pebsham Household Waste and Recycling site, off Bexhill Road.

If you want to share a bin with a neighbour, that's fine, but we will need one property to collect the bin from and invoice. This is a good way to spread the cost of the bins if you aren't producing that much garden waste.

Please contact us on 01424 451077 or email recyclingandwaste@hastings.gov.uk and we will arrange for a replacement bin to be provided. Hastings Borough Council reserves the right to charge for lost or damaged bins.