Garden waste service

The Garden Waste Scheme is now closed for new customers and will reopen in 2025.

Collections for existing customers will continue through to November and December, depending on what round you are on

Remember, all waste needs to freely fall from the bin when tipped. Crews cannot come back for bins where not all the waste has fallen out.

There are no refunds for missed collections or instances where all the waste did not fall out. If you have a missed collection please report it and we will return.

On this page you will find information about:

• what we offer
• how to sign up
• after you sign up
• buying additional brown bins
• what goes in your brown bin
• how to get help with collections
• missed bins
• leaving the scheme
• what we do with your garden waste
• how to contact us

What we offer

If you sign up at the start of the scheme, you will receive 20 brown bin collections between spring and late autumn. If you join later in the year, you will receive fewer collections.

In 2024 collections will start from March 5 and run to November/December (exact dates depend on which round you are on) 

Sign up

Our garden waste service costs £43 per year.

You pay this all in one go, up front, before your collections begin. We are accepting customers and renewals up to 30 August 2024, then the scheme will close for this year.

By paying for this service it means you are accepting our terms and conditions.

New customers

New customers can join the garden waste scheme using our online form when the scheme is open,

On the form you can request a brown bin if your home does not already have one.

You can also buy more than one bin and pay for more than one to be emptied, if needed.

To make a card payment you will need your reference number - Enter your address into the form and the system should get the number for you (You can only do this if you are new customer).

If you are in a new build property (built in the last 18 months) we may need to generate a reference number for you before you can pay. Please email our garden waste team and we will start the process. This can take about a week during peak times, and may depend on new property data being loaded into our mapping systems.

Existing customers

If you are an existing customer you should have received a renewal letter in January. Your reference number will be printed on this.

You can renew your garden waste membership via our online payment system using your reference number. You can only do this while the scheme is open.

If you have lost your reference number you will need to email us.

You need to pay and display your sticker before collections begin.

Moving home

When you join our garden waste scheme you are signing up for collections from a particular property.

If you move home then the service cannot be transferred. There are no refunds if you leave the area or move house.

If you move to another address in Newcastle and want garden waste collections from there you will have to pay again. There are no exceptions to this.

After you sign up

Collections do not start as soon as you pay.

You will be sent a sticker which you will need to stick to your bin underneath the handles at the back.

Please be aware that at busy times it can take up to four weeks to process your order and for us to send your sticker pack out to you.

Our collection crews will have details of all residents who have paid for the service and will only empty bins with the correct stickers on them. Remember to also mark the bin with your house or flat number, or house name.

Check your bin day

You can check your bin day online.

If you have recently joined the scheme you will get a calendar on the back of the letter that confirms you have signed up. Please do not lose this.

Your calendar will tell you when your collections start - This can vary depending on which round you are on.  

If you are an existing customer and you renew before the cut off, your collections will continue as normal. Customers who pay after this date may see a break in their service.

Crews work from 6.30am till 4.30pm. Please note that crews may not come at exactly the same time each week, so make sure bins are always out for 6.30am on collection day.

Replacing a stolen or damaged brown bin

If your brown bin is stolen or damaged beyond repair you can purchase a replacement for £25. The system will check if you are already a garden waste customer before letting you place an order

Buying extra brown bins

If you have a big garden, you can purchase more than 1 brown bin service. 

If you are a new customer, you can do this when you first joint simply by ordering and paying for the amount of bins you need via the form

If you are an existing customer and already have a bin but need more, you need to phone 0191 2787878 and ask for "garden waste." You will need to pay over the phone and teams will order the extra bins for you as needed. 

What goes in your brown bin

Please see what you can put in your green, blue and brown bins for more details.

Help with collections

Assisted lift service

If you already receive help to put out your green general waste bin, you will automatically receive a assistance with your garden waste bin.

If not, find out about our assisted lift service.

Report a missed garden waste collection

Before letting us know about a missed collection, please ensure:​​

• the correct bin was put out for collection on the correct date
• the bin was at the kerbside or collection point by 6.30am
• the bin was not too heavy to be lifted by the collection crew
• the correct items were in the bin

Please note, we use an automated system which records when streets are serviced by our collection vehicles. If the system shows your street was serviced on the correct day, we will assume your bin was not out and will be collected on the next planned collection day.

If you did put the correct bin out, it wasn't overloaded and was on the kerbside by 6.30am, please let us know the next working day after your collection day and the depot managers will investigate. You can do this via the missed bin forms or by calling 0191  2787878 and asking for "Garden Waste"

As per the terms and conditions there are no refunds for missed collections.

There are also no refunds for collections where all the waste did not fall out of the bin into the vehicle and crews will not return for these.

Ending your garden waste collections

Moving house

If you move house, please leave the empty garden waste bin at the property.

There are no refunds if you leave the area or move house. There are no exceptions to this.

Return an unwanted brown bin

To request we take away a brown bin please: 

• make sure the bin is empty
• call 0191 2787878, ask for Your Local Services, and speak to one of our team
• or use the online form to request removal
• put a note on the bin to say it is "no longer wanted"

How we recycle your garden waste

Garden waste is taken to our composting facility at Sandhills, near Walbottle, to be recycled.

It is shredded, mixed and turned and made into high quality soil conditioner.

You can buy this soil conditioner to use in your own garden.

Find out more on our Sandhills page.

Contact us

You can contact the garden waste service by:

• using our online forms (including about missed collections or ordering replacement bins)
• emailing us - Please provide your postal address and account number if you have one
• calling 0191 278 7878 and asking for garden waste