General Green Waste
Can I use a home composter?
Composting waste at home will not only provide your garden with a wonderful soil improver, it will also help towards reducing global warming and divert an average of over 150kg of waste from landfill each year. To find out more about using a home composter, please visit here.
If I don't want to be in the scheme anymore, what do I do with my bin?
If you opt-out of the scheme you are not required to return the bin to the council. You may use the bin for your own purposes. However, it must be noted that standard green bins cannot be used for presenting general domestic or recycling waste. Please ensure that if your bin is not used for the garden waste service it does not become a nuisance to others. For example, it should not be used to store refuse or become an obstruction to others.
Please note that you can opt back into the scheme at any time, which is made easier, and you will avoid the delivery charge, if you already have a bin. If you don’t have a bin, then a delivery charge applies. If you choose to opt out of the scheme you will not receive a refund. We are considering options for alternative ways to use green bins in the future and will keep customers updated if this changes.
Isn’t charging for green waste going to increase fly tipping?
Our experience so far is that any increase in fly-tipped garden waste is minimal and temporary. This is also the experience of the many other councils in the country which charge for green waste collections. We will, however, continue to monitor the situation.
I don’t want to buy into this service. How can I dispose of my green waste?
We encourage home composting. A special offer is available on the purchase of Home Composters, which is updated periodically. Residents who want to make use of the home composting offer should visit www.getcomposting.com or call 0845 658 8866.
The Household Waste Recycling centre at Great Northern Terrace will accept green waste. Details are available on the Lincolnshire County Council website here.
Can I put green waste in my black or brown bin?
No. If you do so we will refuse to collect it as it will contaminate the load. Green waste cannot go through recycling equipment, and it cannot go to the Energy from Waste plant, as green waste does not burn efficiently.
We will not return to collect unemptied bins, so service users are asked to ensure they are careful to comply with this requirement to avoid disappointment.
Don't the council make money from the compost? Couldn't this fund the scheme?
No. The City Council is a ‘collection authority’ in law, so it only organises the collections. The County Council is the ‘disposal authority’, which means that they have a duty to arrange for the disposal. In this case it means that they tender the work of making compost, and unfortunately the end product is low value. Neither the City Council nor the County Council receives an income from the waste.
If I don't have the green bin service, will you still be running the free Christmas tree collection service after Christmas?
Yes. The Christmas tree collection service will continue. Collection dates and arrangements will be advertised close to Christmas or can be provided by Customer Services from December.