Garden Waste Subscription

No, council tax only pays for the collection of residual waste and recyclable waste. The amount of garden waste generated by households in Nottingham varies across the city so in 2024 Nottingham City Council joined other councils across the country in charging for garden waste collections. The aim was to provide a collection service for households that produce significant amounts of garden waste at no cost to those that don’t.

If you don’t wish to pay for your garden waste to be collected, you can still dispose your garden waste for free at the Recycling Centre on Redfield Road.

You can take your garden waste to the Recycling Centre on Redfield Road (NG7, 2UJ) for free.

You can find this out by visiting the bin collections calendar where you can also sign up for bin reminders. 

Please ensure that your bin is placed on the pavement outside your property (or the collection point agreed with the council) no earlier than 7am on the day before collection and is removed from the pavement and returned within the boundary of your property by no later than 7pm on collection day.  

Bin collection calendar

Your garden waste bin will be collected on a fortnightly basis between April – October and then once in November and once in December. 

If your permit sticker has been lost or damaged, you can order a replacement using the subscription form Garden Waste Subscription - Nottingham City Council

Residents who move within the city boundary cannot transfer their subscription. There are no refunds for the cancellation of the service. 

Residents who need support with putting their bin out for collection can apply online for an Assisted Pull Out (APO) service. Our frontline crews can help collect your wheelie bin from an agreed storage point, empty the wheelie bin and return the bin back.

Garden waste collected from properties across the city as well as the garden waste collected at the Household Waste and Recycling Centre is taken to a recycling plant which processes the waste into compost.

No. The price is for the entire collection season (1 April to 31 December) rather than by month, so the price will be the same regardless of when in the year you join the scheme.

Yes, however the bin will need to be registered to one occupier as a payment cannot be split and sent individually to those that will be using the bin.

We will need the address of one of the properties to log on our system when a payment is made. That same address will be on the sticker to be attached to the bin, and the bin must be placed outside the property which has subscribed to the service.

The subscription charge covers the collection period from April to December 2026. Collections will be fortnightly until October, then one collection in November and one collection in December.

Payments and Refunds:

1. Full Payment Required

Full payment is required regardless of when you subscribe to the service. No pro rata rates or reductions are available for subscriptions made partway through the year.

2. Refunds Policy

Refunds will not be issued under any circumstances, including if you decide to stop using the service or move out of the NCC collection area.

3. Non-Transferable

Subscriptions are non-transferable at any point during the year

Service Conditions:

4. Bin Delivery

If you require a garden waste bin, it will incur a one-off additional charge. Bins will be delivered within 10 working days of payment receipt. Delivered bins may be either new or refurbished and will remain the property of NCC.

5. Stickers

Stickers will be delivered within 10 working days of sign-up.

Stickers must be affixed to a clean area on the back of the bin below the handle.

Bins will not be collected if the sticker is missing, incorrectly placed, or detached.

6. Kerbside Presentation

Bins should be placed at the kerbside with the sticker visible from the road by 7:00 AM on collection day and removed from the collection point by 7:00 PM on the day of collection

Collection Rules:

7. Acceptable Waste
The Garden Waste Collection Service is for domestic garden waste only. Trade or commercial waste is not accepted. Materials that do not meet the criteria published on Nottingham City Council’s website will not be collected.

The service applies solely to waste produced by residents when maintaining their own gardens. Any garden waste generated by a gardener, contractor, or other tradesperson is legally classified as business waste and must be removed and disposed of by that tradesperson at a licensed waste facility. They are responsible for holding a valid waste carrier licence and maintaining Waste Transfer Notes. The legal classification depends on how the waste is produced, not where it is produced.

Nottingham City Council may cancel permits and issue full refunds if a household is found to be generating waste that is legally considered business waste.

8. Rejected Bins

The council will not return to collect rejected bins, and a refund will not be issued. Reasons for rejection include but are not limited to:

• Contamination with incorrect materials.
• Bin lid not fully closed.
• Bin not presented by 7:00 AM on the scheduled day.
• Bin too heavy to handle safely.

Residents are responsible for resolving any issues with rejected bins before the next collection date.

9. Side Waste

Only garden waste that fits within the bin with the lid shut will be collected. Side waste will not be collected.

Missed Collections:

10. Missed Bins

If a bin is presented correctly but is missed by the collection crew, you must inform the Council within 48 hours so that the Council can return to empty it. Missed bins reported more than 48 hours after collection day will not be emptied, and no refunds will be given.

Additional Provisions:

11. Ownership of Bins

All bins remain the property of NCC.

12. Lost/Damaged Bins:

If your bin is damaged by the vehicle when it is being emptied, NCC will repair or replace it free of charge as soon as reasonably practical. A replacement permit will automatically be ordered at the same time and will be delivered separately within 10 working days.

Bins damaged by wear and tear and lost bins will incur a replacement charge. A replacement permit will automatically be ordered at the same time and will be delivered separately within 10 working days.

13. Responsibility for Neighbour Arrangements

NCC accepts no responsibility for private agreements made between neighbours. Whilst the agreed sharing of garden waste bins is allowed, all terms and conditions still apply, and the property address listed at payment must correspond to the bin's use and placement for collection.

Seasonal Adjustments:

14. January to March Service

NCC does not run garden waste collections from January to March. The service ends on 31st December, and a new season begins on 1st April the following year, which requires a new subscription.

15. Collection Schedules

The council reserves the right to adjust collection schedules in exceptional circumstances, such as public holidays or emergencies. You can sign up for bin reminders on our website which will keep you informed of any changes.