Garden waste

The garden waste service starts on the Monday 7 April.

To see your garden waste collection you need to be logged into your Redbridge account. The dates will only show two weeks before the service starts.

If you live in the Wanstead area, there may be a change of day to your garden waste collection. Check your new collection day.

 

Check day of collection

 

Garden waste bags at libraries

Green garden waste bags will be available from all Redbridge libraries for just £2 each while stocks last. You can purchase up to a maximum of five bags per property.

 

You can pay by contactless payment (including Apple Pay and Android Pay) at all libraries. If you wish to pay by cash, this can only be done at Redbridge Central Library. 

You must provide proof of residency, such a council tax document or driving licence.

Check here for all library locations.

 

What we collect

• Hedge cuttings
• Grass cuttings
• Weeds
• Garden plants
• Flowers
• Dead leaves
• Twigs

 

Description of the service

The service is only available for kerbside collections from residential properties with their own gardens.

The service is not available for business premises, allotments or flats without attached gardens.

We offer an assisted garden-waste collection service for residents who are currently receiving assisted collections for their household waste and recycling.

 

Putting out garden waste

You can present a maximum of five bags/sacks. They must be placed at the boundary of your property by 6am on the day of the collection.  If the waste is not out by 6am, we will not return until the next scheduled collection date.

We must be able to get to the waste without any obstructions. 

We will only collect garden waste that is visibly presented in open sack, for example green garden waste sacks or open black refuse sacks.

 

Lost or misplaced bags

We will empty the contents into the truck and then return all bags neatly to a safe spot within your front garden.

We appreciate that bags can go missing for a variety of reasons. Unfortunately, we cannot replace bags free of charge.

 

Missed collections

If we do not collect your garden waste because of circumstances beyond our control (road closures, roadworks, incidents or accidents etc), please leave the waste out and we will make every effort to return.

If you feel we have not collected your garden waste (and none of the issues above apply), and the rest of your road has been serviced, please report this via the website here or call our contact centre on 0208 554 5000.  

We investigate all reported missed collections with our contractor.  We will aim to resolve issues within two working days of your report. 

Please note that the contractor or/and the authority may take photos of missed collections as part of the investigation.

 

Composting

Composting is nature's process of recycling food and garden waste into a valuable and nutrient rich food for your garden. By home composting you can:

• Reduce your household and garden waste. This means less waste has to be transported and processed elsewhere – a win for the environment!
• Save money. Once you’ve purchased your compost bin, there is nothing else you need to buy. You’ll then be continuously creating your own soil improver which could be ready in just 6-12 months, for free!
• Improve your garden. Adding compost to your garden will enrich your soil with nutrients, improve the soil structure, reduce pests, and build resilience in your garden. Adding it as a mulch around plants can also help to suppress weeds, moderate soil temperature, and retain moisture.
• Support wildlife. Composting at home creates a great environment for insects such as worms and beetles. They will work hard digesting your food and garden waste into valuable soil improver.
• Get outside. Even a short trip outside to your compost bin is a great opportunity to get some fresh air!

 

How do I home compost?

Composting at home is quick to set up and the process is simple, but it's important to get the basics right.

1. Get your compost bin. To help you get started, we offer subsidised compost bins to all Redbridge residents. Order yours today from the Get Composting website.
2. Place your bin in a sunny spot in your garden, preferably on soil but it will work on paving or gravel. Position your bin in a convenient place for you – think about how far you’ll want to walk in the middle of winter!
3. Start adding your kitchen and garden waste into the bin. Like any good recipe, you’ll need the right mixture of ingredients to make it work. A 50/50 mix of 'greens' and 'browns' is perfect. Take care not to compost cooked food, meat or fish.

   'Browns' you can compost	'Greens' you can compost	Things you cannot compost
   Twigs	Grass trimmings	Any cooked food including fruit and vegetables
   Leaves	Plant cuttings	Meat and fat
   Shredded paper	Weeds	Bones
   Cardboard	Fruit and vegetable peelings	Fish
   Egg shells	Tea bags and tea leaves	Dairy such as cheese and milk
   Straw and hay	Old flowers	Dog poo

4. Wait and let the nature do the work. It takes between six and twelve months for your compost to become ready for use. Keep adding greens and browns to top up your compost in the meantime.
5. Once your compost has turned into a crumbly, dark material, resembling thick, moist soil and gives off an earthy, fresh aroma, you know it’s ready to be spread around your garden.

 

Free online composting training

As a Redbridge resident, you can complete free online composting training, provided by Garden Organic.

The course has five modules that you can select, from basics to in depth knowledge, including videos and quizzes. Each section lasts 10 to 20 minutes. You can just stick with the basics or go through everything if you wish – all at your own pace. You can come back to the course at any time, so it doesn’t have to be completed at once.

Sign up here.

 

Free in-person workshops

If an in-person workshop is more your thing you can invite the Our Streets team to deliver a free composting workshop to your group. This could be a community group, school, or group of friends or neighbours. We simply ask that you have between 10 and 15 participants ready and willing to learn. Get in touch with us to find out more.

 

Community Composting

If you live in a flat:

Some of our residents have already started a shared community composting project. It works the same way as if you live in a house with a garden, only, the residents have a shared bin in a communal green area. If you’d like to know more about this opportunity or would like to set your own bin up, please get in touch with us.

 

Community composting in Redbridge parks:

In Autumn 2024 we launched two brand new community composting sites in Redbridge parks - to help residents reduce waste and carbon, and to create soil improver to be used within the parks.

• Goodmayes Park, next to the Park Keeper’s compound, Aberdour Road, Goodmayes. What3words location.
• Seven Kings Park, next to the Park Keeper’s compound, located near the Epsom Road entrance, Ilford. What3words location.

The sites are accessible during park opening times and are particularly useful for those local to the parks, who are unable to compost at home due to lack of outside space.

Items that can be composted here include uncooked fruit and vegetables, peelings, tea bags, coffee grounds, paper caddy liners, and unwrapped dead flowers. You can use a kitchen caddy or any similar receptacle (such as an empty ice cream tub) to store your food in at home, but please do not use compostable food bags to line your caddy or receptacle. If you would like to use a liner, please use brown paper bags, newspaper or thin carboard such as a cereal box, these items can all be deposited in the compost bin with your food waste. A list of accepted materials can be found at each site.

 

Garden Waste FAQS

• My bag has gone missing, can I get a replacement?

Unfortunately, we cannot replace bags free of charge for any reason.

•  Do I need to present my waste in official Redbridge bags?

Not at all. You can present your garden waste in open black sacks or official garden waste sacks, or a mix of both. The crews will take a maximum of 5 bags.

• How many bags can I purchase?

You can buy a maximum of 5 bags per property

• What are the specs of the bags available to purchase?

45 x 45 x 60cm (120 litre) - same as our previous bags

•  How do I buy the official Redbridge bags/sacks

They are available from all Redbridge libraries. We do have limited stock of 10,000, so when they’re gone, they’re gone!  

•  Where do I present my waste?

Garden waste must be presented at the boundary of your property by 6am on collection day. If it not presented at the boundary, the crew will not empty the bags and will not return until the next scheduled fortnightly collection day.

•  How many months does the service run for and how often is the waste collected?

The service runs from April to the end of October. It is a fortnight service.

• Can I use builders’ sacks to present my waste

No, the waste will not be collected if these bags are used. They are too heavy and unwieldy to carry and pose a risk when lifting.

• How do I pay for the bags?

Bags can be bought (while stocks last) from all Redbridge libraries for £2 only. They accept Apple Pay and Android Pay. If you wish to pay by cash, then you will have to buy the bags from Central Library, in Ilford as they are the only library that can take cash.

• Do I need to show I.D to purchase a bag?

Yes. We do require proof of residency. This must be via council tax document,  driving licence or passport.