Garden waste
We provide wheeled bins and reusable bags for storing garden waste. Collections are usually every 2 weeks.
From 6 November 2023 until March 2024 we will be trialling monthly collections of garden waste.
View your recycling and rubbish services information leaflet (PDF 795kb)
On this page:
- Monthly garden waste collection trial
- See if you're entitled to a collection and find out your collection day
- What garden waste can I recycle?
- What can't I put in my brown bin / bag?
- Where to put your bin or bag
- Collections for estates and blocks
- How should I dispose of compostable packaging?
- What should I do with large amounts of garden waste?
- What happens to my garden waste?
Monthly garden waste collection trial
In Hackney, we will collect garden waste once a month instead of every two weeks from 6 November 2023 to March 2024. This trial aims to lower emissions from waste collections.
The amount of garden waste collected in winter usually drops by over 40%. So, you should not see a negative effect on the amount of garden waste you have waiting for collection.
Moving to monthly garden waste collections over the winter will also help us reduce the cost of collections as Hackney is among the few London boroughs that offer free garden waste collections.
Fortnightly collections resume in April 2024.
To see if your property has a garden waste collection or to check your collection days, visit Check your collection day.
See if you’re entitled to a collection and find out your collection day
Use this postcode look up tool to find out what waste and recycling services your address should receive and your collection days.
Where to put your bin or bag
Place your bin or bag for collection at the inside edge of your property, not on the pavement, by 6am on your collection day.
Collections for estates and blocks
If you live in a flat but have your own garden, email recycling.team@hackney.gov.uk.
If you have communal gardens contact your managing agent or housing association, as they’re responsible for the removal of garden waste.
How should I dispose of compostable packaging?
Compostable plastic is a material made from renewable materials such as vegetable starch and soy protein. Compostable plastic should be put into your general waste and not your food waste or garden waste. This is because in north London food waste is processed in anaerobic digestion (AD) facilities and mixed food and garden waste goes to in-vessel composting (IVC) facilities.
All packaging (compostable liners/Vegware/plastic bags) is removed from food and garden waste by ‘de-packaging’ machinery and disposed of. This has to be done because non-compostable items are often put into the food/garden waste when they shouldn’t be, causing contamination. The de-packaging machinery we use is not currently able to distinguish between compostable and non-compostable packaging when removing contaminants.
What should I do with large amounts of garden waste?
You can order an extra brown bin or a re-usable bag. You can also bring waste to a household waste disposal site.
What happens to my garden waste?
Garden waste from households in Hackney is sent to an in-vessel composting plant in south east England to be turned into compost.
Hackney Recycling
Address
Telephone
Opening times
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday – 9am to 5pm (telephone)
- Wednesday – 9am to 4pm (telephone)