Garden waste

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Garden Waste Collection Service

                                                                                                                      

One sack of garden waste is collected free from each household, on the same day as your recycling bin.

 

Garden waste sacks are available for collection at the Civic Offices at no additional charge. Only one garden waste sack per household may be collected upon proof of residency in the Borough, e.g. a council tax or utility bill. Alternatively, one garden waste sack can be delivered for a fee of £5.00, or delivered at no charge for people who are on the Council's assisted lift service.

 

Extra garden waste can be collected for a small charge. We collect extra garden waste in disposable garden waste bags, which can be purchased from the Council.

 

They are available in two quantities:

• 25 bags: £21
• 5 bags: £5

There is no limit to the number of disposable bags each household can purchase. You can put out as many of these bags as you like on collection day, or share a pack between family and friends who are residents of the borough of Fareham. On your recycling day, please put out the garden waste bags you’ve filled but leave them open so they’re easy for us to empty.

 

You can buy disposable garden waste bags from our Customer Service Centre by calling 01329 236100 or emailing customerservices@fareham.gov.uk.  Small packs of 5 bags are only available if collected from the Civic Offices. Large packs of 25 bags can be delivered at no extra cost (or collected at the Civic Offices).

 

Please note we will only collect garden waste in disposable bags sold by the Council; or the reusable garden waste sack. Alternatively you can take your garden waste to any Household Waste Recycling Centre, or you may wish to try home composting (for more information visit Composting Guide (this is an external hyperlink).

Please note that you must not put garden waste in your refuse or recycling bins.

 

Why is there a charge for garden waste?

The garden waste collection service was introduced in the autumn of 2005 following the move to alternate bin collections. The service was intended to be cost-neutral. It has proved to be very popular, with garden waste being collected from approximately 40% of Borough households at any one time.

 

The Council has retained a free service for the collection of one garden waste sack even though there is no statutory requirement for the Council to collect garden waste.

 

A review by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in September 2007, determined that the weights being lifted were too high; it could be as much as 20 tonnes per day per crew. As a result Fareham Borough Council brought in additional crew members to reduce the weight being lifted by each person to 3 tonnes per day. This in turn has increased the cost of the service.

 

The Service

Garden waste is collected the same day as recycling bins. Use the on-line search to find out which day your recycling bin and garden waste sacks are emptied.

 

After emptying your garden waste, the crew return your reusable sack to your property. If possible, it helps us if there is somewhere we can hang the empty sack, or something to wedge it under to avoid it blowing away.

Replacement sacks

One reusable garden waste sack is free of charge if collected, or there is a £5.00 delivery charge. Residents are able to collect a sack from the Civic Offices any time during opening hours.  When collecting a sack, you must bring written proof of residency in the Borough - such as name and address on a utility bill or Driving Licence. You can collect a sack on someone else's behalf as long as you bring proof of their address.

 

If you are disabled or infirm and have difficulty moving your garden waste sack you can request an assisted lift.

What happens to the material?

The waste is taken away to be composted into soil conditioner called Pro-Grow (this is an external hyperlink).   Pro-Grow can be purchased from the Household Waste Recycling Centre at Segensworth. It can now be delivered, bagged and without a delivery charge, to householders anywhere in Hampshire.  

Unfortunately the Garden Waste Collection Service is unable to collect vegetable and fruit peelings from the kitchen. The regulations about Foot and Mouth Disease do not allow us to collect this for composting. You can of course compost uncooked kitchen waste in a home composter.

 

If you would like more information, please email customerservices@fareham.gov.uk or telephone 01329 236100.