No. All applications will be charged at the full year's collection price no matter what time of year the subscription is made and there will be no refunds if you decide to withdraw from the service.
Garden waste collection FAQs
No. As garden waste is composted in the open air, contamination from kitchen waste can cause widespread distribution of bacteria.
No. Animal waste must not be put into the garden waste bin/bag, for the reasons explained above. Instead, please double-bag dog and cat waste and put it in your residual waste bin.
No. Please do not put any type of carrier bag or sack in the garden waste bin/bag as this affects the composting process.
A small amount of soil attached to roots is not a problem, but large amounts of soil make the bin/bag extremely heavy and difficult to empty and inhibits the composting process.
As you purchased the bin you will own it. You are responsible for retrieving the bin after collection and its storage thereafter, as we will not replace lost, stolen or damaged bins unless damaged by the contractor.
If your garden waste bags are lost or damaged please contact recycling@stroud.gov.uk
If you are staying within Stroud District please contact us to advise us of the change of address. The collection crew will be notified of the change.
We will not empty the bin/bag if it is moved to another property unless you advise us that you have moved to a different address within the District.
If you are moving outside of the district you may wish to pass the service onto the new resident.
Collection staff will have live booking information stored on in-cab technology.
Garden waste bin will have small tags applied by operatives once collections begin in February. These tags aren’t mandatory and will be used as a visual aid for collection staff only, so do not worry if you have paid and your bin hasn’t been tagged, collections will still be made.
Yes, you can have as many bins as you like but please be aware that you will need to buy each bin and pay annually for each bin to be emptied.
Collection staff will have subscription information stored on in cab technology. If you present at a communal collection point, you may wish to place your house number on your bin. Collection staff may knock on doors to establish which properties bins belong to prior to tagging.
Bin tags aren’t mandatory and will be used as a visual aid for collection staff only, so do not worry if you have paid and your bin hasn’t been tagged, collections will still be made. Collection staff will have live booking information stored on in-cab technology.
No. Please do not put any type of carrier bag in the garden waste bin/bag as this affects the composting process.
- Store bags in a dry place between collections.
- Fill bags no earlier than 2 days before your collection date.
- Do not overfill — keep waste below the marked fill line and roll the top down.
- Ensure each bag is under 20kg
- Put bags out by 6am on collection day.
No. Only Council‑issued compostable garden waste bags can be collected. These bags are designed to break down properly during the composting process.
Collection vehicles suitable for narrow roads have limited capacity. Allowing two bags per collection ensures the service remains:
- accessible to narrow‑access properties
- cost‑effective
- environmentally sustainable
Unused bags can be carried over into the next subscription year.
You will still need to purchase a new annual subscription to continue receiving collections.
Store unused bags in a dry location to keep them in good condition.
Not all households use their full allowance immediately. Supplying half up front helps reduce waste, ensures bags are used when needed, and allows us to distribute stock more fairly. Additional bags can be requested later.
No. We are unable to issue a wheelie bin to a property that cannot be directly serviced by a vehicle equipped with a bin lift. This is because:
- It can be unfair to other residents if collection points outside their homes are used by neighbouring properties.
- Bins left out for long periods may not be retrieved after collection, which can attract additional waste and cause environmental issues.
- It becomes difficult for crews to identify which bin belongs to which property, making it harder to record issues accurately and maintain reliable service records.
Please contact recycling@stroud.gov.uk to order more bags.