Garden Waste customers have reason to be pleased as Dorset Council will be resuming its garden waste kerbside collections from Monday 27 April.
To ensure that regular food waste, rubbish, recycling and glass collections continue with minimal disruption, the Garden Waste service was suspended shortly after Public Health England coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance was introduced. This was done to free up garden waste crews so they can cover anticipated absence in other kerbside collection services.
As household recycling centres remain closed, most residents have been highly supportive of the measures introduced around garden waste to ease pressure on front-line services, either by encouraging home-composting or keeping their garden waste to one side until the tips re-open.
Employee absence has stabilised across the workforce, waste services have been reprioritised and workers in other Dorset Council teams have been trained to support kerbside collections if necessary.
This means Garden Waste collection crews can now return to deliver the subscription service, with most customers only experiencing two missed fortnightly collections.
Points to note: –
- From 27 April, Garden Waste customers should resume putting their bin out on their usual collection day
- We will only collect from garden waste bins that are not overfilled. We will not collect extra garden waste in boxes or bags next to bins. If you have any excess waste, please save it for another collection day
- Like all other kerbside collections, we will not return to empty missed garden waste bins at this time
- Customers will be offered a discounted rate for their 2021/22 Garden Waste service subscription to compensate for the two missed collections and will be written to in due course
- Any Garden Waste customers who cancelled their annual Direct Debit prior to payment being taken on 1 April 2020 are no longer active customers and won’t have their collections resumed. They will need to renew their service to receive any future collections.
Cllr Tony Alford, Portfolio Holder for Customer, Community and Regulatory Services at Dorset Council, said: –
“We appreciate how much our customers value the Garden Waste service and we welcome this opportunity to resume kerbside collections, especially as the household recycling centres have to remain closed.
Non-Garden Waste subscribers should keep their garden waste to one side until household recycling centres re-open. We will continue to recommend home composting, but we advise against starting bonfires – often these lack consideration for neighbours and can get out of control, resulting in call outs to a busy fire service. We continue to remind residents that fly-tipping is illegal.
Most of all, please work with us by making small changes to your regular routine until things get back to normal. Thank you.”
Good news but could the web page be updated please so that residents will know when their next collection date will be.
Website now updated – http://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/check-your-bin-day
I need to sign up for collection
Unfortunately new garden waste subscriptions are currently suspended. When things get back to normal, check out our Garden Waste pages at http://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/recycling
Open the tips please ! They are run for you so should be able to open
Sorry Roger, but who they’re operated by is irrelevant. Travel to tips isn’t covered by central government guidance on essential travel at this time, so they’re closed.
You state new subscriptions not being taken. We subscribed on 16th April, have received a sticker and confirmation but no bin as yet. Can we expect a bin anytime soon or is this on hold.
New subscriptions have now been resumed. You should receive your bin before your collection service commences.
We have inherited a brown bin at our new address, and want collection to continue. How do we sign up so that we continue to have bin emptied every 2 weeks from now?
Please e-mail gardenwaste@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk and let them know the situation. Thank you.
Hi Barbara, you can sign up to the garden waste service online: https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/bins-recycling-and-litter/garden-waste/garden-waste-collection-service.aspx all information about the service is also on this page, in case you needed to find out more. Thanks, K
great news but can we have the bins back ?
Sorry Martin, we don’t understand – have your bins been removed?
I am pleased that the Garden Waste Collection is to resume on 27th April. Next collection for BH20 5HR is scheduled for 5th May.
Please note by this time 3 collections will have been missed – 24th March – 7th April – 21st April.
Garden waste put in the bin ready for the expected collection on 24th March, before suspension was announced, has sweated down and therefore heavy.
Janet (85 year old resident)
I am pleased that the Garden Waste Collection is to resume on 27th April. Next collection for BH20 5HR is scheduled for 5th May.
Please note by this time 3 collections will have been missed – 24th March – 7th April – 21st April.
Garden waste put in the bin ready for the expected collection on 24th March, before suspension was announced, has sweated down and therefore heavy.
Janet (85 year old resident)
I received an email from you stating garden waste would resume from 27th April. Therefore I have today put my bin out (01/05/2020). However, upon checking online my collection date is l 08/05/2020.
If this is correct then I believe that would be 3 collections missed and not two as you stated in your correspondence to me?
You should have had a collection on 27 March – the last collection day before we suspended the service. Then two missed collections (10th and 24th April), with the next on Fri 8 May. Let us know if that wasn’t the case.
I would like register for Garden Waste Bin. When can I do this. Clive & Kim Wilden
Sorry Kim, but we aren’t accepting new subscribers at this time. When things get back to normal and we can take on new customers, we’ll let everyone know.
Any update when we can subscribe to the garden waste service again. Bin full and needs collecting. Thanks
Sorry Heidi, but it won’t be for a while – we’ll make an announcement when people can subscribe.
When dt1 2tj ?
Please check your collection day at http://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/check-your-bin-day
We have a sticky label to put on our garden waste bin but we thought that ours was being replaced so as of yet not stuck it on our bin will we still get a collection and are we getting a different bin?
Please e-mail gardenwaste@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk – thank you.
To suggest that elderly gardeners who cannot afford garden waste bins should stock pile their garden waste rather than tend a small bonfire inside an incinerator bin is thoughtless. How is someone over 80 supposed to remove large amounts of stock piled rubbish in the future. Recycling centres are fine but 12 weeks or more of garden rubbish is an enormous amount to move around. PLEASE CONSIDER THE ELDERLY AND GIVE THEM ENOUGH CREDIT TO HAVE A SAFE BONFIRE
Sorry Jane, but we didn’t refer to any particular group when politely asking if people refrain from bonfires at this unprecedented time. We also would argue that if any person would typically burn their garden waste in a safe and considerate fashion can still do so, but once restrictions have been lifted, people are no longer dealing with the symptoms of coronavirus infection at home and fire services aren’t as stretched.
Most people’s Bonfires are usually smoke fires especially if damp and smoke blows everywhere
Not something to encourage at the best of times whatever your age
I’am in my later years and I still try to be considerate to my neighbour s and not blow smoke into their gardens especially in the warmer weather when people are out in their garden
Bonfires aka smoke fires should be covered by the clean air act
Thank you so much for re-instating the collections. They are invaluable in helping us manage our large garden and vegetation.
There have been a number of reports across the country of increased fly-tipping because of tips being closed. I don’t know whether there has been such a problem in Dorset, but surely the recycling centres could be re-opened, perhaps on a reduced basis, with appropriate measures imposed? Cars and their occupants could queue quite safely, and, for example parking only allowed in alternate spaces with social distancing applied by individuals when depositing items. If supermarkets can manage it, surely this can be done safely, particularly as it is outside? It would also no doubt reduce the pressure on kerbside recycling.
https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/bins-recycling-and-litter/report-a-bin-problem/coronavirus-household-recycling-centres-and-banks-frequently-asked-questions.aspx
The government has now sugested thet recycling centres reopen are Dorset going to comply
DEFRA have suggested that recycling centres could open to deal with essential waste, but this is in direct conflict with central government guidance on essential travel. Therefore, the government is being asked for clarification on the guidance – if trips to an HRCs are included in reasons for essential travel, we’ll open them back up as soon as we can.
Council- My garden waste is attracting rats, I would say that a trip to the tip would be essential travel, why can’t they be open?
Sorry to hear that Karis, but it’s not for us as a council to determine what is “essential” or not. We’re following central government guidance on what types of trips are allowed at this time, and the tips are not included. Please read https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do
We are not new customers so we can renew our subscription? That is the way this reads.
Existing customers should have renewed their subscription before 1 April. If this charge hasn’t been paid (or was paid after the deadline), you are no longer an active customer and will need to resubscribe when services return to normal.
So does this mean from 27 April? i understand no new subscriptions because that would require a new bin being delivered. But we have the bin already and the payment is electronic ?
Linda – We are not taking new garden waste subscriptions for a variety of reasons, not just bin deliveries. If you’re not an existing customer, I’m afraid you’ll need to wait until things get back to normal.
I have been a customer for a year now but my subscription money hasn’t been taken out of my bank yet
That doesn’t sound right Darren, as all payments should have been taken/made before 1 April. I would recommend contacting the GW team on gardenwaste@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk with your subscription details as soon as possible to ensure your service isn’t disrupted further.
Kenya not open the recycling centres and then everyone can get rid of waste . There’s been more gardening and DIY being carried out as more people at home and they need to dispose of rubbish somewhere . If it was managed as one or two cars in at any given time then that would help
Please read https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/bins-recycling-and-litter/report-a-bin-problem/coronavirus-household-recycling-centres-and-banks-frequently-asked-questions.aspx
Manchester has reopened the tips. Why can’t you do the same?
HRCs are reopening – with restrictions – on Monday 11 May.
In 2919 I subscribed for two bins. I January 2020 I successfully renewed my subscription for only one bin. However today your men came onto my property and took both bins away without my consent. Can I have one of my bins back please, as this subscription was renewed in January and confirmed by yourselves by e mail as payment received.
Sorry to hear that Peter – doesn’t sound right at all. Please contact gardenwaste@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk and they should be able to help you out. Thank you.
When will garden waste be collected in Dorset road
Please check at http://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/check-your-bin-day
I’m confused over garden waste collections. As a new user I paid, a full years charge, in mid February and so expected my Bob to be emptied this morning. I’ve read in your email that you are not accepting new customers, but don’t feel I come in that group.
Please advise when collections will be made.
Eric Colt
Sorry to hear that Eric, you would have been subscribed in time to receive the service from today. Is Monday definitely your collection day? What’s your postcode?
28April at 37 Manor Fields
Hello
I put my garden bin out early this morning but it has not been collected.
Could you please tell me if the collection of garden waste has re-started as stated.
Please check your collection dates at http://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/check-your-bin-day
The Calendar for Garden Waste has vanished from your web site AGAIN!
Apologies Peter, the links disappeared for a short spell earlier today due to a website glitch. Try now at http://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/check-your-bin-day
Thank you very much for re-instating the Garden Waste bins it’s very much appreciated.
I pay for my garden waste collection yearly, a one off payment, how do I renew so that it will continue
Hi Jackie – one-off annual renewal payments should have been made before the service was suspended. How do you usually pay?
Thank you for letting us know you are reinstating garden waste collection. I would just like to say how much we appreciate all the work your crews do for us and hope they are all keeping safe and well. We always value this service but particularly now more than ever ??
I ordered a garden waste bin and paid my subscription last year. The bin was due to be delivered before April but was put on hold when you suspended the service. Will you be delivering a bin to me?
Have passed this on to the Garden Waste team. Should be in touch in due course, thank you.
I’m in the same position – we’ve subscribed but the service was suspended before our bin was delivered. Will it now be delivered?
Thank you for your help!
Please contact gardenwaste@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk – thank you.
I have subscribed for some years and all paid up for the coming year.
My problem is my bin has split and needs replacing. Any chance of this happening?
Many thanks
Please fill out the form at https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/bins-recycling-and-litter/report-a-bin-problem/request-a-replacement-for-a-lost-or-damaged-bin-or-recycling-container.aspx – thank you.
I cancelled my bin because I was moving house I will not be moving for quite a while and would like to reserrect my subscription would this be possible please?
Hi Ronald – Unfortunately you’ll need to resubscribe to the service when things get back to normal as we’ll need to set up a new payment arrangement. Thank you.
Thank you! We don’t drive and have quite a large garden so really appreciate this service. We understand your reasons for redistributing your staff and postponing the service….but it’s now beginning to feel like The Day of the Triffids around here. With Best Wishes to you all.
Why do household recycling centres need to remain closed? With a bit of organisation you could ensure social distancing is observed. Having the centres closed is a sign of how unimportant Dorset Council take their environmental responsibilities and care of the occupants of the county. No wonder fly tipping is on the increase.
Please read https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/bins-recycling-and-litter/report-a-bin-problem/coronavirus-household-recycling-centres-and-banks-frequently-asked-questions.aspx
I agree with Martin Waters. There are a number of recycling centers with enough space to provide the correct social distances and with some basic control at the entrance to provide the management of access and egress I am sure it could function satisfactorily.
Very please that the garden kerbside collection is being re-introduced – good move and thank you
Please read https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/bins-recycling-and-litter/report-a-bin-problem/coronavirus-household-recycling-centres-and-banks-frequently-asked-questions.aspx
Sorry, didn’t see this before I posted my comment above: we are obviously of the same mind!
I agree the recycling centres need to reopen, at least in part, to prevent fly tipping and the extra costs of cleaning up. Perhaps booking time slots on a dedicated phone or email address could help
Please read https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/bins-recycling-and-litter/report-a-bin-problem/coronavirus-household-recycling-centres-and-banks-frequently-asked-questions.aspx
This is lovely news ❤️ thank you so much for all your hard work , it’s very much appreciated.
??Thank you and stay safe to everyone ???
Thankyou all for carrying out our bin collections through this very difficult time. This is very much appreciated.
Please will you re-publish the garden waste collection timetable as mine expired in March and I am not sure when my next collection date is.
Website now updated – http://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/check-your-bin-day
Thank you for restarting the GW collection – really appreciate it, as we do all the collections.
I’ve renewed for this year, but haven’t received a new supply of bags yet.
Thanks again to everyone for all you’re doing for us.
Thank you, your bin people are doing a great job
Great news to hear our garden waste collections are being restored. Thank you for all your hard work. It is much appreciated .
Thankyou & stay safe everyone.
Great to read the return of the service. Thank all the collection teams for carrying on during the lock down please. Always on time ,well done .
Great news, thank you for keeping us informed. Well done the teams for managing as well as they have during this unbelievably difficult time.
This is great news! With fine weather and time on our hands we’ve all been mowing and weeding from dawn ’til dusk. You guys have always been appreciated but never more so than now. Thank you and stay safe.
Really great to hear collections resuming soon. Really appreciated.
Many thanks for resuming the service so quickly. Much appreciated with the growing season upon us!
Very good news so thank you for that. My compost heap is looking very healthy but larger products like twigs and substantial roots need the garden waste bin so I am very relieved.
I have an assisted bin collection and cannot praise collectors enough for all the kindness they show me. You are all remembered in my “clap” ?? on Thursday evenings.
Thank you all , stay safe and stay well.
Adding my thanks for this and gratitude to the waste collectors for continuing to come.
And I completely understand why the recycling centres have had to be closed.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
This is great news. Thank you so much and thank you to all of your waste and recycling collection crews for their excellent service throughout the year but, most especially, at this very difficult time. Thank you, too, to your managers who ensure that we receive a high quality regular service.
Great news that the garden waste collections soon to resume
Thanks so much
Thank you for reinstating the garden waste collections. I have made a small compost area in my garden, but as the garden is very small, the bin is a godsend. Many thanks to all the collection teams who do such a great job and always in good spirits
Doing an absolutely great job, big thank you to all involved.
Stay Safe.
The website says ‘garden waste collection data is not available for your address’ , or words to that effect.
Great.
Can you help ?
DT11 0SD
Sorry to hear that Graham, but data is household-specific. Assuming you are an existing customer, please e-mail gardenwaste@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk – thank you.
Hello can you tell me if I would need to start a new subscription or can I renew against my new property that ran out in April from the old owners.we have the bin already .
Sorry Gemma, you’ll need to start a new subscription when things get back to normal.
yes they were removed in sherborne 2-3 weeks ago
We haven’t bulk-removed any garden waste bins. We only take them back when a subscription fee hasn’t paid – did you pay your 2020/21 annual subscription?
yes paid at the end of January , i have receipt and all the details who do i need to get in touch with ?
Please e-mail gardenwaste@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk – thank you.
Reiterating most of the previous comments. Thanks so much for reintroducing the garden waste collection so soon and a big thank you to ALL the refuse collectors who work through all sorts of weather and never miss our bins. Well done to all of you and thanks again.
With the Millhams recycling centre closed due to the Coronavirus (understandably), we have many bags full of green waste in our garage that is starting to rot (which we didn’t want to leave outside as when it rains they will get wet). We also can’t subscribe to get a green waste bin currently.
Will there be any free collection service for green waste during this difficult period as ordinarily the tip would be available for us to take our green waste to. Additionally, we have guinea pigs and have bags full of guinea pigs hay, waste and paper that also needs disposal and would out these in green waste at the tip as they are compostable. Can this be collected too? We have asked neighbours and their green waste bins are already full themselves, many overflowing.
We are in Ferndown. Obviously a difficult time for everyone, we don’t want to put the public in danger by suggesting the tip reopens, but some assistance to manage the backup would be appreciated I think, particularly as I can see when the lock down is lifted, with this backlog, it’s going to be mad around this area to take garden waste to Millhams!
On our exercise walks, we’ve also seen evidence of fly-tipping starting, which is equally concerning!
Sorry Stuart, we don’t have any plans to introduce free garden waste collections. We are hoping to receive further information from central government in the near future that will help us work out how we can increase service provision and hopefully deal with any waste that is building up away from kerbside collections. In the meantime, have you considered home composting? Check out https://www.recyclenow.com/reduce-waste/composting
Although you have announced that the garden bin collections will commence from 27th April, it says put your bin out on your normal day. It then has a link to the collection day page, but there is no calendar for the garden waste bins?
Could you confirm if the next collection for BH21 4AX is on Thursday 6th May please?
Apologies John, the links disappeared for a short spell earlier today due to a website glitch. Try now at http://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/check-your-bin-day
Good day, BBC reports today that some HRC facilities are re opening on a basis of allowing entry to vehicles with alternating odd and even Registration numbers to comply with distancing requirements. Also this morning, The Dorset Echo reports that Council workers have drawn illustrations on Williams Rd near to DCH in appreciation of NHS workers. Given your staff are hard pressed, as you say, is this a sensible decision, albeit one which appeals to public sentiment?
Margaret – the current closure of HRCs has nothing to do with a lack of available staff or resources. The support message for NHS workers was quickly done outside of working hours and had no negative impact on other services.
I understand that the government are now instructing all councils to re-open HRCs as soon as possible as per an article written in The Times newspaper yesterday. With many bags of garden waste festering in my front garden this cannot come soon enough. Perhaps you can offer some idea as to when the Swanage HRC will open and also an idea of when you may start taking new subscriptions for the garden waste kerbside collections
The government have instructed all councils to prepare for the re-opening of HRCs in the coming weeks, with revised guidance set to be published soon. Once we have this guidance, we’ll announce when the HRCs will be reopened. As for new GW subscriptions, this probably will not happen until staffing levels have returned to pre-pandemic levels and we’re confident we can cope with new customers, so at this stage we don’t know when we’ll start accepting new subscriptions.
I would like to sign up for a garden waste bin as soon as it is possible.
We’ll let people know as soon as we’re taking new customers again – thank you.
Please enable garden waste removal either by allowing new client subscriptions, now that collections have resumed, or revising Council’s interpretation of the Government non essential journeys ruling. Waste is piling up in town gardens creating a hazard to health and well being and the elderly cannot engage in either composting or bonfire activities unsuitable to town centre locations.
We cannot enable new garden waste subscription at a time when our workforce is stretched and we can’t tell whether we have resources to handle more households at this time. Central government guidance around essential journeys are set to be revised soon – when that happens, we’ll look to see when we can re-open the recycling centres.
Good news the green recycling is reinstated, this is good for those with a bin but what about the rest of the Dorset residence households? Some authorities have already opened the household recycling centres. Could you not operate a booking slot to access the recycling centres, this will protect individuals and reduce queues and control the number of individuals on the site.
The closure of HRCs isn’t related to social-distancing measures, which will most likely be implemented on site when they re-open. HRCs remain closed because Stay at Home guidance does not include trips to the tip under the list of essential travel reasons. When the guidance changes, we’ll get the HRCs open as soon as possible.
Some people are saying that Stourpaine garden waste collections have changed from alternate Fridays to alternate Thursdays, and others say it is every Wednesday with the household waste. Your website still shows alternate Fridays. Which is correct?
We wouldn’t change collection days without informing customers directly – check out http://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/check-your-bin-day for the correct information, thank you.
“ Customers will be offered a discounted rate for their 2021/22 Garden Waste service subscription to compensate for the two missed collections and will be written to in due course”
My question is, when will you write to us?And, where is the discount! I have been debited £52.84 on 01/04/2021.
All residents should have been written to, but your debited amount indicates that the discount was automatically applied – a new annual subscription is normally £57.
I have just has a dispute with 2 operatives employed by Dorset council regarding the placement of my garden waste bin. My bin was not emptied by them because it was not placed in an acceptable approved position according to council rules. I told them that I have placed the bin in the disputed position for over 10years without a problem. They replied the council has now changed and now operate under different rules. Could you please clarify this matter on where I should place my bin to make them happy. I live in Ferndown, Dorset.
We’d need more information before we could comment – please drop an e-mail with details to wasteteam@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk and someone should get back to you to clarify the situation. Thank you – James