Garden Waste Collection Service
We only collect from households that have subscribed to the Garden Waste Collection Service and present a sticker on their green bin.
From April 2025 there will be a £50 charge for this service. You will be able to sign up and pay for it here from mid January. You can sign up to our e-newsletter to be reminded when it's available or if you are already signed up to the service you will automatically receive a reminder in January.
If you require a collection of garden waste for the remainder of the year (until end of March 2025) you can request a free sticker by contacting Customer Services on 020 8207 7454.
If you have signed up to the garden waste collection your green bin will be collected fortnightly on the same day as your brown recycling bin.
FAQs
Kitchen caddies and compostable liners
- Kitchen caddies are available free so you can collect food waste in your kitchen before transferring it to your green bin. From April 2025 food waste should go in your new food waste bin and your green bin will be for garden waste only.
- You can line your caddy with compostable liners that can be bought from Hertsmere outlets or supermarkets. Please note we will only accept caddy sized liners that carry the EN13432 certified seedling logo below and be labelled as compostable. Different rules apply after April 2025. Please see food waste for full details.
What to put in your green bin
- Grass and hedge cuttings
- Small tree prunings, twigs and bark
- Tree branches (up to 6 inches in diameter)
- Plants with excess soil removed
- Moss, weeds (excluding controlled weeds such as Japanese Knotweed)
- Real Christmas trees (cut up)
- Flowers
- Fallen fruit
- Leaves
- Food waste is also acceptable until April 2025. This includes meat, fish, fruit and vegetables, all raw or cooked, plus leftovers, bones and shells.
Items to keep out of your green bin
- Paper (including paper towels, tissues, cotton wool, make-up pads and wet wipes)
- Cardboard
- Brown paper/envelopes
- Treated wood, e.g. baskets, fence panels, furniture
- Soil/turf
- Dog poo or cat litter
- Plastic packaging
- Any packaging that says it is compostable
- Download service guide: Recycling in Hertsmerepdf file[3.98MB]
Improved waste and recycling collections
Last year we enforced our single black bin policy and next year we will be introducing the chargeable opt-in garden waste collection service plus a weekly food waste collection service. This will allow our residents to recycle more, provide an equitable service, reduce our carbon footprint, meet the needs of our growing population and comply with anticipated legislation changes, bringing Hertsmere in-line with well-performing waste and recycling services in neighbouring authorities, helping ensure that less rubbish is sent to landfill in the future.
