Too much garden waste? We can collect it!
Garden Waste Collection Service Hedge, tree & shrub cuttings Grass cuttings & rakings Roots & leaves Plants, flowers & weeds
Have you got too much
Garden waste in black bags
garden waste to compost?
Please do not place garden waste in your black bag
Pembrokeshire County Council is changing the way garden waste is collected. Between March and November we are now offering fortnightly garden waste collections using wheeled bins. The cost of this subscription only service is available on the Council website at www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk, by calling the Contact Centre on 01437 764551 or by visiting your nearest Customer Service Centre. Alternatively, you can take your garden waste to any of the six Civic Amenity and Recyling Centres within Pembrokeshire and deposit it free of charge. You are not allowed to put garden waste inside your black rubbish sacks. The garden waste will be taken for composting which is a more environmentally friendly and cheaper way than sending it to be buried at a landfill site. This value for money service helps keep your garden tidy, is easy to use and helps you do your bit for the environment.
So if you think this new service may benefit you, read on to find out more.
Garden waste is not considered to be a household waste and as such, Pembrokeshire County Council is not obliged to collect it unless asked to do so. The Authority reserves the right to issue a charge for this service. When green and garden waste is disposed of at landfill sites it rots down to produce carbon dioxide and methane, two potent greenhouse gases. Burying it at landfill sites is expensive and unnecessary when there are other options available. For example: 1) Use a home compost bin – we can provide one of these free of charge should you need one. Please call 01437 764551 for more details 2) Take your garden waste to your closest Civic Amenity and Recycling Centre where you can dispose of it free of charge and ensure it is turned into compost. 3) Sign up for our wheeled bin garden waste service.
Benefits of using our garden waste collection service • Your garden waste is converted into compost and not sent to landfill. • No more visits to your nearest point of sale to buy more green sacks • No more running out of green sacks. • Helps keep your garden tidy. • It’s convenient and easy to use.
Why are we changing the current system? Your council tax does not cover the cost of collecting garden waste and this is the reason why you should not put such wastes in your black refuse sacks. Because of this, Pembrokeshire County Council has been selling green waste sacks to any resident who wishes to have their garden waste collected. These have been picked up with black sacks and buried in landfill. Burying garden waste in landfill is expensive and harmful to the environment as it rots down to create methane, a greenhouse gas that is 21 times more potent than Carbon Dioxide. This new system will ensure that where practicable, all collected material is treated in an environmentally friendly way.
What can I put inside the bin?
✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Hedge, tree & shrub cuttings Roots Grass cuttings & rakings Leaves Plants, flowers & weeds
The following items are NOT permitted: ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘
Plastic bags, pots & trays Brick, rubble, soil & stone Fences, sheds & posts Food waste including peelings Animal bedding, litter & faeces Tree stumps & branches over 4 in (10cm) diameter
Under no circumstances must Japanese Knotweed or any other invasive weeds be placed inside the bins. For more information on how to dispose of these weeds, please call the Contact Centre on 01437 764551.
Why is there a charge for this service? The council does not have a statutory duty to collect garden waste free of charge and as a result can recover the costs incurred in collecting it. The service is paid for by everyone who subscribes to it and there is an annual subscription charge for all users. The charge covers the hire of the wheeled bin as well as the fortnightly collections you will receive.
How long does my subscription last for? Subscriptions run for 12 months from 1st March. The full fee is payable at whatever point in the year you subscribe or even if you only need a few collections.
How often will my bin be collected? Your garden waste will be collected every two weeks from the beginning of March. Your bin will be delivered within 14 days of us receiving your payment between March and October. We will notify you of your collection day, as well as offering you instructions on using your new service, when we deliver your bin. It may not be the same day as your refuse or recycling is collected.
The bin will hold the equivalent of approximately five standard refuse sacks. Do not overfill your bin. If the garden waste is too compacted in the bin we need to shake it on the lift, which can damage the bin.
Domestic 240 litre Wheelie Bin 740 mm
580 mm
1100 mm
How much garden waste will the bin hold?
Only put the items listed in your bin. If in doubt, don’t put it in and phone the Contact Centre on 01437 764551 for advice.
Can I use my own bin? No, we know many other bins are of a good quality but our bins have a special microchip embedded in them which enables us to identify our bins and who has paid for the service. If someone else took your bin and tried to use it, the chip will put a block on them doing so and the lorry would not lift it. The chip holds your identification number only and does not hold any personal information about you or your household.
Are there any concessions? No concessions are available for this service.
I currently have an assisted collection for my refuse and recycling. Will I be able to have help if I subscribe to the green waste scheme? Yes, providing it is practicable to do so, we will make arrangements with you for the wheeled bin for garden waste to be collected from your property.
What happens if I move house can I take the bin with me? If you move within Pembrokeshire please telephone the Contact Centre on 01437 764551 ten working days before you are due to move so that we can make sure your bin gets emptied at your new property. If you move outside the County the bin remains the property of Pembrokeshire County Council. Please telephone the Contact Centre to make arrangements to have it collected.
What should I do if my collection is missed? If your collection is missed due to unforeseen circumstances we will aim to return to collect your bin within 24 hours. Please call the Contact Centre on 01437 764551 or email wastemanagement@pembrokeshire.gov.uk.
What happens if I put the wrong materials inside the bin? You should only place the materials that we specified on page 3 inside the bin. Should our operatives discover materials other than the permitted items, we will not operate a collection until the offending items are removed. Current legislation says that all compostable material must meet strict regulations. Materials that do not meet the requirements will cause contamination and therefore ruin the load, rendering it useless for composting.
What if the bin is damaged? If your bin is damaged by our collectors please let us know by telephoning the Contact Centre on 01437 764551 and we will arrange a replacement. If you have damaged the bin please contact us but please note that you may be liable for the cost of a replacement.
What if the bin goes missing? Call the Contact Centre immediately on 01437 764551 to report it. Please note you may be liable for the cost of replacement if the bin cannot be found.
Like to sign up? If the service is right for you please telephone Pembrokeshire County Council’s Contact Centre on 01437 764551 where you can pay by card over the phone. Alternatively, you can visit your nearest Customer Service Centre and pay by cash or card or log on to www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/wasteandrecycling. Once your application has been processed, we will deliver your bin within 14 days together with a note that will include your start date.
Your personal data and how we will use it The personal data you supply will be held by Pembrokeshire County Council within the terms of the Data Protection Act 1998. It will be used for the purpose of administration of waste collection and may be shared with other Council departments who deal with related services. It will only be shared outside the organization if required to do so by law. For information on your rights to access your information please ring 01437 764551 and ask for Data Protection or email: DataProtection@pembrokeshire.gov.uk