How the green garden waste scheme works
Your green garden waste will be collected each fortnight. You can find the dates of your collections online on My Place.
Your bin or bags should be placed so they are clearly visible and accessible at the front edge of your property by 6.00am on the day of collection.
Bins and bags containing items that can’t be recycled will not be collected. If your green garden and kitchen waste is mixed with materials that can’t be composted, like plastic bags, the waste will not be collected.
After it is collected, your green garden and kitchen waste is transported to an ‘in-vessel’ composting facility in Edmonton. The material is processed in an enclosed container under controlled conditions to make compost. This compost is used in Waltham Forest's parks, open spaces and allotments.
Why recycle kitchen and garden waste?
Kitchen and garden waste that is sent to landfill can’t decompose properly because it is squashed under other waste and doesn’t have access to air. This means garden and kitchen waste in landfill produces methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, which contributes to global warming. So recycling your green waste not only helps Waltham Forest’s green spaces, it helps to reduce global warming too.
What can I recycle in my brown bin?
- Grass cuttings
- Leaves
- Flowers
- Plants
- Branches up to 4in (10cm) in diameter
- Food scraps
- Meat, poultry and fish (cooked or uncooked but no bones)
- Fruit and vegetables (cooked or uncooked)
- Tea bags
- Egg shells
What can I recycle in reusable bags?
- Grass cuttings
- Leaves
- Flowers
- Plants
- Branches up to 4in (10cm) in diameter
Please note we cannot take food waste
What if the brown bin is too heavy or I can't close the lid?
Please do not put heavy materials in your brown bin as our collection vehicle cannot lift it. Soil and stones are not collected by the green waste scheme. The lid of the brown bin must be closed so that it will fit onto the lifting mechanism of the collection vehicle.
How do I use the kitchen caddy?
All kitchen waste except for meat bones can be put in your kitchen caddy. A paper towel or one sheet of newspaper can be used to wrap kitchen waste. Please do not use biobags or other compostable liners in your kitchen caddy as these are easily confused with ordinary plastic bags that cannot be composted, and they will not be collected. The contents of the kitchen caddy should be emptied into the brown bin for collection.
Can I put compostable packaging into my green waste containers?
No, the facility that receives Waltham Forest’s green waste does not accept packaging, even if it is marked ‘compostable’. Please do not put these materials in your bin.
Can I place kitchen waste in my reusable bags?
No. Only garden waste can be placed in the bags.
What do I do if I have excess green waste that does not fit in the brown bin or reusable bags?
You can take garden waste (but not food waste) to one of Waltham Forest's three recycling centres. You can also compost at home or you can use a bulky collection.
What do I do if my brown bin or reusable bags are not emptied?
Please call Waltham Forest Direct on 020 8496 3000.
Who cleans my bin or bags?
It is your responsibility to keep the bins or bags clean.
I don't have a garden but can I still recycle food waste?
If you live in a street property but do not have a garden, you can still recycle your food waste in a brown bin. If you live in a house that has been converted into flats, you might want to arrange for all the flats in the building to share a single brown bin for everyone's kitchen and garden waste. In this case, you can request separate kitchen caddies by contacting Waltham Forest Direct on wfdirect@walthamforest.gov.uk or 020 8496 3000.
If you have further questions, contact Waltham Forest Direct on 020 8496 3000 or email wfdirect@walthamforest.gov.uk
