Green waste and everything else
Green waste is the plant material: grass cuttings, leaves, hedge and shrub trimmings, small prunings, weeds and old flowers. It can be composted or handled by a service that deals with plant material.
Other garden waste is a different category. Soil, turf, stones, paving, broken pots, old fencing, treated timber, decking and sheds are not green waste, and they are handled differently. Mixing them in with your green waste can cause problems, so it is worth keeping them apart from the start. If you are unsure which pile something belongs in, ask before it goes in the wrong bin.
Hedges and larger prunings
A hedge cut can produce a huge volume of cuttings. A morning's work with the trimmer can leave a heap that will not fit in a garden waste bin, however many times you pack it down. Thicker branches from trees and large shrubs are heavier still, and long lengths are hard to bag.
If you have a lot, cutting branches into shorter lengths helps a great deal, as does keeping thin cuttings apart from thick wood. If you employ a gardener or tree surgeon, ask whether they will take the waste away. Do not assume they will, and remember that if they leave it, it is still your waste to deal with.
Soil, turf and rubble are not green waste
People often bag up soil and turf after digging a bed or lifting a lawn, and put them out with the green waste. In most cases they do not belong there. Soil, turf, stones and rubble are heavy, and they usually go through different disposal routes from plant cuttings.
They also make up more weight than people expect. A modest border can produce a surprising number of bags, and they can be very heavy to lift. If you are clearing a large area, say so when you ask for a collection, so the crew can allow for the weight and the disposal route.
Bags, bins and the council service
For regular green waste, many households use a council garden waste service. What it covers, what it costs, which items are accepted and how it operates all depend on the council's current rules, which we do not set out here. Check leeds.gov.uk for the details before you plan around it.
For anything beyond the normal bin, heavy-duty bags can help, provided they are not filled so full that they cannot be lifted safely. Tie them or fold the tops over so nothing spills on the way to the van.
- Keep bags to a weight you can lift comfortably
- Do not mix soil, stone or rubble into bags of cuttings
- Keep brambles and thorny material separate so nobody gets cut
- Stack long branches together and tie them in bundles
Bonfires and composting
Bonfires are not always a good idea. Smoke can bother neighbours, affect people with breathing problems and drift across roads, and there can be local rules and byelaws as well as general nuisance laws that apply. Check the council's guidance on leeds.gov.uk before you light one, think about the neighbours, and never burn anything other than dry garden material.
Composting is often the better answer for soft green waste. A compost heap or bin turns grass, leaves and kitchen peelings into something useful for the garden. It works less well for thick woody material, diseased plants or persistent weeds, which take a long time to break down or may spread if the compost is used.
When to book a collection
A collection makes sense when the volume is more than bins and bags can cope with. A hedge that has been cut back, a tree that has come down, or an overgrown garden that is being reclaimed can produce more than any household service is designed to handle.
It is also useful when green waste is mixed with other material, such as old fencing, broken pots and a collapsed shed, since the crew can sort it as they load. Photos showing the pile and the route to the van will help. For a bigger job, a garden waste removal Leeds crew can take the lot in one visit, and you can ask for a quote before you commit to anything.
Keep green waste apart from soil and rubblePlant cuttings can be composted or collected as green waste, but soil, turf and stone are heavy and go elsewhere. For the council's service, check leeds.gov.uk.
Questions
Can I put soil or turf in my garden waste bin?
Generally no. Soil and turf are not green waste. Check leeds.gov.uk for what the council's garden waste service accepts.
Is it all right to have a bonfire?
It depends. Smoke can be a nuisance and there may be local rules, so check leeds.gov.uk and think about your neighbours before you light anything.
What do I do with a whole hedge's worth of cuttings?
Cut branches short, bag or bundle them, and consider a collection if the volume is more than the bin can take. Send photos for a quote.
Will someone take garden waste and old fencing together?
Often yes. Tell us what is in the pile and send a photo, and we will confirm what can be taken.
Services that help
Garden waste
Green waste, fencing, sheds and overgrown gardens cleared.
See the serviceDecking removal
Rotten decking, joists and posts taken up and taken away.
See the serviceShed clearance
Shed contents cleared, and the shed itself taken down on request.
See the serviceLocal pages
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