Garden waste subscription FAQs

From April 2024, you'll have to pay if you want your garden waste to be collected.

You'll need to subscribe for garden waste collections, and pay an annual fee. The fee is per bin, so if you have more than one garden waste bin, you'll have to pay for each one to be emptied.

Everyone who subscribes will have their garden waste collected fortnightly between April and November.

When you subscribe, you'll get a new brown bin for your garden waste. The bin is 240 litres, which is the same size as your current (green) bin. All brown bins are microchipped.

Once you've subscribed, we'll only collect garden waste in brown garden waste bins.

View the terms and conditions for the garden waste subscription service.

The service will start in April 2024.

You can subscribe from Monday 11 March 2024.

It can take up to 14 days for us to process your application. We recommend you sign up as soon as possible so you're ready for collections to start in April.

Only people who have subscribed will have their garden waste collected from April 2024 onwards.

You'll need to pay for your subscription at the time you subscribe.

You can subscribe from Monday 11 March 2024. Collections will begin from April 2024.

The easiest way is to subscribe for garden waste collections online.

If you're struggling to do it online, you can call 01642 726001.

It can take up to 14 days for us to process your application. We recommend you sign up as soon as possible so you're ready for collections to start in April.

Garden waste collections cost £40 per year for one bin.

If you have more than one brown bin, you'll pay an extra £20 per year for each bin. The maximum number of bins allowed per household is 5.

Everyone who subscribes will have their garden waste collected fortnightly between April and November. If you do not subscribe, we will not collect your garden waste from April 2024 onwards.

There are no discounts or concessions available.

Once you've subscribed, you'll automatically be added to the system our waste collection crews use.

We'll also provide you with a sticker which includes a permit reference. You must attach the sticker clearly to your brown bin. If you've subscribed to get more than one bin emptied, you'll get a sticker for each bin.

Yes, you can subscribe any time during the year, but the cost is the same no matter when you sign up.

If you subscribe part way through the year, you'll only get the amount of collections left in the year, but you'll still pay £40.

No, all households pay the same amount, regardless of personal circumstances.

This includes people who subscribe part way through the year - you'll only get the amount of collections left in the year, but you'll still pay £40.

If you cancel your subscription after your bin has already been delivered, you cannot get a refund.

If you cancel your subscription within 14 days of signing up, and your bin has not been delivered yet, you may be entitled to a refund.

You can call 01642 726001 to cancel your subscription. 

If you do not sign up, we'll empty your existing bin one last time and take it away. This may not be on your normal garden waste collection day. We'll publish updates in the recycling and rubbish section and on social media closer to the time.

If you still have garden waste after this, you'll be responsible for getting rid of it. You can either compost it yourself, or you can take it to the Household Waste Recycling Centre. Don't forget, you need to book an appointment at the Household Waste Recycling Centre, you can't just turn up.

Please do not put garden waste in your black rubbish bin.

You do not need to do anything. This is an opt-in (subscription) service.

If you do not subscribe to the garden waste collection service, we will not collect your garden waste. We will also take away your existing (green) bin.

Please remember that if you do not subscribe, you'll be responsible for legally getting rid of any garden waste you have.

You can either compost it yourself, or you can take it to the Household Waste Recycling Centre. Don't forget, you need to book an appointment at the Household Waste Recycling Centre, you can't just turn up.

Please do not put garden waste in your black rubbish bin.

Our waste collection crews will start taking away all existing (green) garden waste bins from April 2024.

We'll empty your existing bin one last time, then take it away. This will be in April but it may not be on your normal garden waste collection day. 

We'll publish updates in the recycling and rubbish section and on social media closer to the time.

Once you're subscribed, we'll collect your garden waste every two weeks during the collection season (April to November).

Sign in to your MyMiddlesbrough account to see collection dates for all your bins.

If you do not subscribe, we will not collect your garden waste from April 2024 onwards.

When you subscribe, we'll let you know what your collection day is. This might be a different day to when your other bins are emptied.

You'll still need to put your bin out by 7am on your collection day.

Once you've subscribed, we'll provide you with a letter, a sticker for your bin which includes a permit reference, and we'll let you know about your collection day.

If your bin is broken or damaged by our waste collection crew, we'll repair or replace it for free. Please let us know as soon as possible by calling 01642 726001.

If your bin has been lost or stolen, you'll need to pay for a new one. You can request a new bin online.

Yes, you can take your bin with you and transfer your subscription.

But you must let us know, so we can update our system and make sure your bin is collected from your new address. You can contact us on 01642 726001.

During the winter, there is less growth so less garden waste is produced.

The environmental benefit of collecting such small amounts of garden waste in the winter would be outweighed by the fuel used by our bin wagons.

If you do have garden waste during the winter, you can put it in your brown bin until collections start again in spring.

We're making changes to bin collections as part of the savings we need to make next year. Like many councils across the country, we've struggled to set a balanced budget for 2024-2025, which we're legally required to do.

Introducing a charge for garden waste collections will help us to keep providing the service. Many other councils already charge residents for their garden waste collection.

Not all properties in Middlesbrough need garden waste collected. We feel that introducing a charge is fair, because the service will only be used by households who want to subscribe.

The income we get will reduce the cost of running the service. In time it may even make the service self-financing, which will help to protect essential services.