Garden Waste
Please visit our garden waste collection sign-up page if you would like to join the service and be eligible for garden waste collection.
To advise us of a change, for example, change of address, cancellation of service and removal of bin, moving of service to a new address, please complete our garden waste change of circumstances form. Please be aware that if you move address within the Ashford borough and you wish to continue with the service, you will need to take your garden waste bin with you to your new property after notifying us.
If you have decided not to renew your subscription, Please take a moment to leave us some feedback.
For handy tips and advice, download our Garden Waste Leaflet 2015 [pdf] 2MB.
What do I put in?
Yes Please!+
- Grass Cuttings
- Hedge trimmings
- Pruning's and small branches
- Weeds and leaves
- Dead plants
No Thanks!+
- Building rubble
- Household or food waste
- Paints and liquids
- Logs and tree stumps
- Plant pots and polystyrene
- Turf or soil
We also encourage all residents to compost their garden waste at home wherever possible - you can produce your own compost by using organic kitchen waste and waste from the garden and Ashford residents can now get great deals on composting equipment at www.getcomposting.com.
You can also take green recycling to the Kent County Council Recycling Centre where it is rotted down into compost that can be bought back and used on the garden.
Frequently Asked Questions
+ What is the garden waste collection service?
Anyone who registers for garden waste collections (at a cost of £37.50 a year) will receive a new 240 litre brown wheeled container and will have their garden waste collected every fortnight (except at Christmas and New Year). We are experiencing some delays in the delivery of brown bins at the moment due to the manufacturer being impacted by COVID-19. In the interim, Biffa are delivering sacks to residents that await delivery of a bin.
If your property cannot accommodate wheeled bins, please contact us.
The garden waste service will now operate on a rolling year basis. This means that a customer will need to renew their service exactly one year from the date of joining with a payment of £37.50.
Please note: If you decide to stop the garden service the council does not offer refunds as it would be uneconomical due to the administration costs involved.
+ What if I have not renewed my subscription, but I want to keep my bin?
Sorry! The cost of the annual subscription includes hiring the brown bin, and we may need to take the bin back if you are no longer using the service. This is so we can keep the bins in use and give them to new subscribers wherever possible, instead of spending more money on buying new ones. Any damaged or broken bins will not be reused.
You do not have to renew your subscription but please be aware that if you do NOT renew your subscription, your garden waste will no longer be collected and you may have to give back your brown bin. The council will contact you to arrange this.
Our Biffa operatives have a database of all properties that have paid to use the service, and will not collect garden waste presented from any home that is not registered.
General information
+ How often will my garden waste be collected?
Garden waste collections are fortnightly (except at Christmas and New Year).
+ Why isn't it free?
Garden waste collections are not a statutory service for local councils to provide. However, residents have told us that they would be willing to pay for an opt-in garden waste service, which is why we are providing one for a small fee. The cost is in line with the lowest charges of other authorities in the county.
Also, by no longer taking garden waste with household refuse, we can ensure it is properly composted and reused, instead of being sent for incineration.
+ Do I have to use this service?
No – it is completely up to you if you want to register for these collections. If you do not have a garden, or do not want to pay for your garden waste to be collected, you do not have to use the service.
+ Where else can I dispose of my green waste?
If you do not want to use the new paid-for service, you can either compost your garden trimmings at home or take them to the KCC Recycling Centre on the Cobbs Wood Industrial Estate.
+ Will extra waste be collected if my bin is full?
We can only take away garden waste put out in your garden waste container – we will NOT take side waste.
+ I want to use the service, but I have too much/not enough garden waste for one container.
There are plenty of ways you can make the most of the new garden waste service.
The cost to the service is £37.50 a year per container, so you can arrange privately to share the bin – and the cost – with a neighbour, or you can apply for more than one bin.
+ What happens if my garden waste is not collected?
If your garden waste is not collected on your scheduled day this needs to be left out and reported within 48 hours so that a collection can be made. If this is not reported within 48 hours it will not be collected until the next scheduled collection. No refund will be issued for a missed collection.
+ What if my new container is stolen?
We can replace a stolen bin free of charge. You should report any missing bins by calling Ashford Borough Council on 01233 331111. You will also be able to report stolen bins online in the near future.
Our collection vehicles have an on board data base listing all properties that have registered and paid for the garden waste service. Therefore, if a garden waste bin is placed outside a property that has not registered for it, will not be emptied.
+ I'm elderly or disabled and struggle to put my garden waste out for collection, can I get help?
Yes, we can arrange for you to have an assisted collection.
+ If I don't want a new bin, can I leave my garden waste out in black bags?
We no longer collect garden waste in black bags left out with your normal rubbish. If you do not want to use the new paid-for service, you can either compost your garden trimmings at home or take them to the KCC Recycling Centre on the Cobbs Wood Industrial Estate.
+ What happens to my green garden waste once it has been collected?
Your garden recycling will be composted and used as an agricultural soil improver.
