22 May 2012Our fortnightly Garden Waste Collection Service makes it easy for you to dispose of compostable garden waste in an easy, sustainable way right from your property boundary.
Although many areas of the District receive this fortnightly service on the same day as their refuse and recycling collection, some areas have it on a different day of the week. So please call us on 01732 227000 to confirm the day of your garden waste collection.
Download the current Garden Waste Collection Calendar (
PDF File 539KB file details).
It's easy to participate, and we offer two ways to do so:
Option 1: Garden Waste Collection Service Annual Permit - £42 for a 12 month permit
If you're an avid gardener who produces compostable garden waste often - or just cut your lawn a lot - consider purchasing an annual Garden Waste Collection Service permit for £42. If you are new to the scheme and join before 1 April 2013, we'll provide your household with a 240-litre garden waste wheelie bin for you to use whilst you are a permit holder. Affixed to the wheelie bin, the Garden Waste Collection Service permit entitles you to a fortnightly collection all year round.
Garden waste collection permits are colour-coded to match the collection week for your road - green for collection week 1 and blue for collection week 2. As long as the bin is out on the correct day at any time of the year, our special crew will empty it.
The permit is valid from the month of purchase for 12 months, at which time it will need to be renewed annually during the anniversary month. We will contact you with a reminder notice.
Your wheelie bin will be emptied fortnightly, usually on the same day as your refuse and recycling sacks. So please place your garden waste bin at kerbside by 7am with your regular rubbish.
The 240-litre garden waste wheelie bin will remain the property of Sevenoaks District Council for you to use for compostable garden waste only whilst you participate in the scheme. Bins will be re-claimed by the Council should participants drop out of the scheme, choose not to renew, or fail to use the bin as intended. What if my bin is damaged or stolen? ( PDF File 40KB file details)?
To apply now, download the application form ( PDF File 76KB file details).
Please review our Terms and Conditions before applying. This scheme is only open to new users. Current scheme participants can obtain an additional permit by calling 01732 227000.
Call us on 01732 227 000 for further details or to apply over the telephone.
Option 2: Garden Waste Sacks
You can purchase a bundle of 25 Sevenoaks District Council garden waste collection sacks for £12. The Council's garden waste sacks can be used all year round. Collected fortnightly at the same time that we empty garden waste bins, place your garden sacks at your property boundary by 7am with your rubbish.
Garden waste sacks are for the collection of garden waste only - they are not storage sacks. These sacks are designed to begin to break down as soon as garden waste is placed in them. Please do not fill your sacks any more than seven days before the scheduled fortnightly collection day. Take a look at how to use your garden waste collection sacks before purchasing.
The Council's Garden Waste Collection Sacks can be purchased from various outlets ( PDF 88K file details).
Garden sacks purchased from other outlets - such as supermarkets, garden centres or DIY stores - or garden waste left out in other sacks or containers will not be collected.
To find out what day your garden waste will be collected you can:
What can I put in my sack or wheelie bin?
Lawn cuttings, flowers, leaves, hedge trimmings, weeds, twigs, small shrubs, and branches under one metre long and 2" (50mm) in diameter. Please remember: it has to be shreddable.
What cannot go in my sack or wheelie bin?
Soil, turf, stones, rubble, food waste, plastic, paper, fencing, wood, pet litter or animal waste of any kind, or branches over one metre long and 2" (50mm) in diameter. It has to be compostable and shreddable. If it's not, don't put it in!
Larger branches and unsuitable material can be taken to a Kent County Council Household Waste and Recycling Centre.
