Brown-lidded (garden waste) bins - Print version

Brown-lidded garden waste bin collections

From June 2024, you need a garden waste collection permit if you would like your garden waste bin collected.

Register and pay for your brown-lidded bin collection [https://myaccount.coventry.gov.uk/en/service/Garden_waste_subscription]

Before registering, please read our terms and conditions. [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/rubbish-recycling/brown-lidded-garden-waste-food-bins/2] 

If you have any questions about the service, check our FAQ which may cover your questions [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/rubbish-recycling/brown-lidded-garden-waste-food-bins/4].

If you prefer, you can pay over the phone on 0808 5834 333 or in person using cash, cheque or card at the Customer Service Centre in Upper Precinct. Cheques should not be sent via the post. 

If you would like to sign up online and pay by card, but need help doing so, you can get support at libraries across the city: [http://www.coventry.gov.uk/libraries-1/join-find-use/3]

• Aldermoor Library
• Allesley Library
• Bell Green Library
• Caludon Library
• Canley Library
• Central Library
• Coundon Library
• Foleshill Library
• Hillfields Library
• Jubilee Crescent
• Stoke Library
• Tile Hill Library
• Willenhall Library

Garden waste service terms and conditions

By signing up to the garden waste service the customer accepts these terms and conditions:

Service

• The agreement is made between the resident (customer) and Coventry City Council and sets out the terms and conditions under which the customer may use the council's garden waste collection service (the service).
• This garden waste service only operates within the boundary of Coventry City Council.
• The garden waste service is for domestic garden waste only, no trade waste is accepted.
• The service is subject to an annual charge which covers the collection period from 1 June to 31 May yearly.
• The current brown-lidded bin service charge is subject to possible annual increases in line with the Council’s fees and charges which will be communicated to the customer prior to payment.
• The annual charge applies to the service of each brown-lidded bin. There is a limit of 10 240-litre waste bins per household.
• The brown-lidded bin remains the property of Coventry City Council.
• There are no concessions or refunds for this service and the annual charge is for a full year, irrespective of when customers opt in to the service. There are no discounts on the charges for part-year sign up.

Payment

• A subscription fee of £40 per brown-lidded bin for each annual service period is required.
• The fee can be paid online or by calling 08085 834333 [tel:08085834333]
• Payments in cash or by cheque will be available at Broadgate House
• Non-payment of the annual fee will result in the bin not being emptied.
• You can report a damaged bin on the Council's website Report a damaged bin [http://www.coventry.gov.uk/rubbish-recycling/household-bins/7] or by calling 08085 834333 [tel:08085834333].

Permit/sticker

• The Council will deliver to the paying customer a permit (bin sticker) for each subscription year, once paid for. The sticker must be placed on the back of the bin, under the handles, so it is clearly visible to the collection crews.
• Any customers paying for the service will receive the bin sticker within 10 working days of payment being received and collection will not commence until the sticker is placed upon the bin. Refunds will not be made for any missed collections during the sticker delivery lead time.
• Any brown-lidded bins presented for collection must have an official sticker displayed on the bin or the Council will not carry out collection, irrespective of payment being made.
• If your paid sticker is lost or damaged, call 08085 834333 [tel:08085834333] or contact us by email at Waste Services [mailto:domesticwaste@coventry.gov.uk].

Collections

• Brown-lidded bins must be placed out for collection by 7am on collection day. If you have an assisted collection, all bins must be accessible.
• Brown-lidded bins will be emptied fortnightly, however, there will be an annual pause to collections each year over the Christmas period.
• All reasonable efforts will be made to empty brown-lidded bins in adverse weather conditions. However, if it is not possible or safe to collect, attempts will be made to reschedule collections, and these will be communicated through the Council’s website and social media pages. No refunds will be given if collections cannot be carried out due to extreme adverse weather conditions/force majeure.
• All brown-lidded bins must be presented correctly to receive a collection. Waste must be contained within the bin with the lid closed fully and must contain only acceptable materials which are listed on the website [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/brownbin]. Refunds will not be made for rejected collections.
• Bins should not be filled with such a weight as to make the moving or emptying process hazardous to the Council's operatives. The Council reserves the right to suspend or cancel the service to customers whose bins are overweight.
• Bins that are repeatedly contaminated or misused will have the service revoked and no refunds will be given.
• The customer shall be responsible for maintaining the cleanliness of the bin.
• If the brown-lidded bin is presented correctly by the customer but is missed by the collection crew, the customer must inform the Council within 48 hours so that the Council can return to empty it. Missed collections may be collected on a Saturday. Crews will aim to empty all missed brown-lidded bins on the return visit. Missed bins reported more than 48 hours after collection day will not be emptied and no refunds will be given.
• The Council reserves the right to change the collection day, giving reasonable notice, to suit existing rounds and current practices to promote an efficient service in accordance with Council priorities.

Moving house

• If you move, you must inform the Council so we can update our records. If moving within the city a new permit can be sent to you at the new address. You would need to allow up to 10 working days for the new permit and collection will not commence until the sticker is placed upon the bin. Refunds will not be made for any missed collections during the sticker delivery lead time.
• If you move outside the city, the service will remain in place at the property, but no refunds will be given for the unused term of the subscriber.

Renewal and cancellation

• The Council will notify the customer annually of the renewal of the service, charge and how to pay if they wish to renew the service.
• Once the customer has opted into, and paid for, the service, there is a 14-day cooling off period when the customer can cancel the service if they wish and be refunded in full. After the 14-day period the Council will not refund payments made for the brown-lidded bin/garden waste service.
• The customer may cancel the service at any point during the service year, but no refunds will be given (unless within 14 days of payment, as above).
• The customer’s statutory rights are not affected.

Data protection

• We will process your personal data in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018. We will not share your personal data with third parties without your permission. The data you provide to receive a chargeable garden waste service will be kept secure in the Council's databases.
• We will only use the personal details you have provided for this service to contact you by letter, telephone, text messages, or email for matters related to the garden waste service and to inform you of any similar service provided by the council that may be of interest to you.
• You may tell us at any time if you don't want to receive marketing communications from us by writing to us providing your full name, address and garden subscription number.
• The Council reserves the right to vary these terms and conditions.

Collection schedules for brown-lidded (garden waste) bins

To find out when your collections are, please find your street in our directory [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/bindays].

From June, if you have a permit, your brown-lidded garden waste bin will continue to be collected every other week along with your blue-lidded (recycling) bin.

You can also take garden waste to our Household Recycling and Reuse Centre (the tip) [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/tip] regardless of whether you have a permit or not.

If you don’t have a brown-lidded bin, or you need a new one, please visit our bin request page [http://www.coventry.gov.uk/new_bins].

Please put your bin out for collection by 7am at the kerbside with the handles facing the road.

Bins should be removed from the highway as soon as possible following collection (maximum 24 hours) and returned to your property.

Please note that your bins will not be collected if rubbish is compacted, bin lids can’t close or bins are too heavy to safely be collected. Please do not put plastic bags in your bin. You can however use compostable liners. If your bin has not been collected you should have received a bin tag [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/bintags] informing you of the reasons why this has happened. If your bin has not been collected and you have not received a bin tag please visit the missed bins [http://www.coventry.gov.uk/missedbins] page to report it.

Email alerts

You can sign up for free email alerts for your street's collection via our bin collection calendar [http://www.coventry.gov.uk/bindays].

Permits - your questions answered

Why are you introducing a subscription for garden waste?

This is one of 30 changes we’re implementing as part of our revenue and capital budget for 2024/25. Councils are required by law to set a balanced budget every year. Due to financial pressures, we needed to take a long look at our services and identify where to make changes. These were difficult decisions for the Council to make and we want to be as open and transparent with you about them as possible. To find out more about our financial situation and the changes we’ve had to make, please visit our budget webpages. [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/budget]

Is this charge compulsory?

If you would like to have a garden waste service, you will need to purchase a yearly permit for £40 per bin. The charge applies regardless of the size of the bin.

Alternatively, you can book a slot to take garden waste to the Tip off London Road [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/tip] or can consider home composting [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/rubbish-recycling/composting].

Will I receive a refund on my Council tax?

The collection of garden waste is a discretionary service, not a statutory service – i.e. one that the Council is not obliged to provide. As a result, there will be no refund on your Council Tax

When will the subscription begin?

The new paid-for garden waste (brown-lidded bin) collections will start week beginning 3 June and the permit will cover you for one year. 

How long is the permit for? 

The permit for this year are from 1 June 2024 to 31 May 2025, if you sign up later in the year you will still only get a permit valid until 31 May 2025. 

How can I pay for my garden waste subscription?

Payments can be made online through www.coventry.gov.uk/gardenwaste [http://www.coventry.gov.uk/gardenwaste], over the phone on 0808 5834 333 or in person using cash, cheque or card at the Customer Service Centre in Upper Precinct. Cheques should not be sent via the post. 

If you pay in person, your sticker will still be sent in the post to your address.

When will the permit be delivered?

Your sticker will be delivered within 5-10 working days of you subscribing. Please see the instructions on the back of the sticker once it arrives which will tell you where to stick it on your garden waste bin.

Can I still put food waste in the brown-lidded (garden waste) bin if I have a subscription?  

Food waste can still be put in the garden waste bin and will continue to be collected if you have paid the yearly subscription fee.

What can I do with my food waste if I don’t want a permit?

If you do not have a subscription, your brown-lidded (garden waste) bin will not be emptied. Any food waste should go into your green-lidded household waste bin or can be composted at home.

What will happen to my existing bin if I don’t sign up?

It is not our intention to collect in any unwanted garden waste bins and we ask that residents store them on their property. The garden waste bin will then be available for the residents or the next occupier if they move property or decide to subscribe to the garden waste collection later. If you would like us to remove the bin, you can fill out a form [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/rubbish-recycling/household-bins/7] to ask us to remove it. Please note that we will not begin collecting brown-lidded bins until after the permit scheme begins in June, and collections can take up 8-12 weeks. 

What can I put in my brown-lidded (garden waste) bin?

• grass cuttings
• shrub and hedge clippings
• plants and weeds
• leaves
• twigs and bark
• flowers
• food waste

Can I put the garden waste in my green-lidded household waste bin?

No, you should not put any garden waste into your green-lidded household waste bin, apart from invasive weeds [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/heritage-ecology-trees/invasive-weeds/2] such as:

• Giant Hogweed [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/heritage-ecology-trees/invasive-weeds/5]
• Japanese Knotweed [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/heritage-ecology-trees/invasive-weeds/4]
• Himalayan Balsam
• Wolfsbane
• Horsetail
• Himalayan Knotweed
• Hedge Bindweed
• Common Ragwort
• Hairy Bittercress
• Deadly Nightshade

None of these should be composted or put in your garden waste bin as they either difficult to control and spread very quickly or are poisonous to grazing animals.

If your green-lidded household waste bin contains garden waste, our collection team will leave information about what you should do. It will be your responsibility to remove the garden waste so that your household (green-lidded) bin can be emptied on the next scheduled collection day.  

Can I pay monthly or pay for a one-off collection?

We don’t offer a one-off collection service and would encourage residents to take this waste to the Tip off London Road.

Can I put additional bags at the side of the brown-lidded garden waste bin?

No, we won't collect any extra garden waste. Our crews will only empty brown-lidded garden waste bins that contain the correct materials, have closed lids and are not overweight.

If you have too much garden waste to fit in your bin, you can:

• keep it back and put it in your garden waste bin after it has been emptied for the next collection
• compost it at home
• take extra garden waste to the Recycling and disposal centre (The Tip [http://www.coventry.gov.uk/tip])
• request an additional brown-lidded garden waste bin. However, you will need to pay for an additional collection permit for each brown-lidded bin you would like to be emptied. Residents can have up to 10 permits per household. You can request an additional bin through our website. [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/rubbish-recycling/household-bins/8]

What if I lose or damage my bin?

We will order a replacement garden waste permit sticker if we have to replace your garden waste bin as it is damaged beyond repair.  This will be delivered within 5-10 working days.

What happens if I damage or lose my permit/bin with a sticker?

The stickers are high tack and good quality so should not fall off. However, if yours is damaged or needs to be replaced please call the Council on 08085 834333 [tel:08085834333] and we will order a replacement permit sticker which will be delivered within 5-10 working days. Please be aware that we may require you to return a damaged sticker. 

If your bin is damaged or needs to be replaced, please report it to us through the website [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/rubbish-recycling/household-bins/7#:~:text=for%20your%20waste-,Request%20a%20new%20bin%20or%20a%20bin%20repair,takes%208%20to%2010%20weeks.] or call us on 08085 834333 and we will order a replacement bin and permit. 

How will you know to collect my bin?

Our crews will have the information of subscribed properties to ensure those paying for the service receive the service. They will also then check for the permit on the bin before emptying the bin. Your sticker will have your address on it. 

What happens if the crews don’t start collecting my garden bin?

We will add your property to our waste system which will alert the crew to collect your bin.  We ask that you allow up to 10 working days for the service to commence from payment date.

Can I share a bin with my neighbour(s)?

You can share a garden waste bin with a neighbour or neighbours, and you will need to decide if you are going to split the cost between you. Please make sure that the garden waste bin is left outside the property number that you have used to subscribe to the garden waste collection with.  Please be aware that the house number on the permit is responsible if the bin is contaminated, misused or notifying us if the bin needs to be replaced.

Will the garden waste collection be a carried out all-year round?

Brown-lidded bins will be emptied fortnightly, however, there will be the usual pause to collections each year over the Christmas period. 

What if I move house?

If you move within the city, you can transfer your subscription to your new address. We do ask that you allow time for the new sticker to be issued to the new address so that your service resumes as quickly as possible. If you move out of the city, you will not receive a refund as the payment is a one-off payment for the whole year. However, the bin could be used by the next resident at your address if you choose to leave your permit on the bin.

What if I change my mind and wish to cancel my subscription through the year?

You are entitled to a 14 day cooling-off period where you can cancel your subscription for a refund, but you cannot cancel your payment for a garden waste collection subscription through the year, as the payment is a one-off payment for the whole year. If you subscribe to the service, we will email you at the end of the year to remind you that you need to pay the one-off fee each year.

What if other residents use my bin?

We recognise that from time-to-time, residents do experience inappropriate use of their bin by a neighbour or someone passing their house. For properties with high accessibility to their bins, we advise restricting access if possible. Bin locks can be purchased (but must be unlocked on collection days so the crew can empty the bins).

If we have missed your garden waste bin, please report any missed within two working days so that crews can get back to you.

• Report a missed bin collection [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/rubbish-recycling/missed-bin-collections]

Reasons why your bin may not have been collected:

We have left a non-collection sticker or tag on the bin letting you know why we have not emptied it when we visited your street, this could be because it was too heavy to empty safely or has the incorrect types of waste in it.

• The bin was not presented on the day for collection by 7am.
• Your garden waste permit sticker is not clearly visible or is at the wrong address.
• If you have subscribed within 48 hours prior to the next scheduled collection for your street, we are unable to guarantee collection and you will need to wait till your next collection day.
• Please be aware we will not be returning for any of the above circumstances.

Will this encourage more fly-tipping?

• We do not anticipate that fly-tipping will increase
• However, if you see fly-tipping we ask that you report this as soon as possible by either the website and fill in the online form [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/street-scene/flytipping] or by the calling 08085 834333. By reporting this way, the fly-tipping will either be removed within 24 hours or other action will be taken to deal with it.
• We would encourage residents who have witnessed fly-tipping or have good video evidence to contact us so that they can help us to reduce people illegally dumping rubbish or other anti-social behaviour.

How can I dispose of my garden waste if I do not want to pay for the service?

For those households that have a garden but do not wish to pay or do not produce sufficient garden waste to warrant paying the annual subscription for fortnightly collections, there will be the following options:  

• Book a slot and take it to the tip off London Road.
• Compost it at home.
• Garden waste should not be placed in your green-lidded household waste bin or blue-lidded recycling bin. Green-lidded household waste or blue-lidded recycling bins found to contain garden waste will not be emptied. 

Are there any concessions for the garden waste service?

No, there are no concessions for the service.

If I sign up part way through the year, how much will it cost?

Regardless of when you sign up within the set year, the cost of the subscription will remain at £40.

We are a community garden group / charity, do we still have to pay for garden waste collections?

Any property that would like to retain the garden waste service will need to pay for the bin(s) at the location. You can share a garden waste bin with a neighbour or neighbours, and you will need to decide if you are going to split the cost between you. Please make sure that the garden waste bin is left outside the property number that you have used to subscribe to the garden waste collection with. Please be aware that the house number on the permit is responsible if the bin is contaminated, misused or notifying us if the bin needs to be replaced.

I have an assisted collection service; will it continue?

If you already have an assisted bin collection and you subscribe to the new garden waste recycling scheme, we will continue to help in emptying your bins.

If I don’t sign up for the service, can I still have my real Christmas tree collected?

No. We will have details of disposal options nearer the time.

What can I put in my brown-lidded garden waste bin?

Yes please

• Grass clippings and shredded hedge-trimmings
• Leaves, flowers and weeds
• Straw and hay (if contaminated by animals please put in green-lidded bin)
• Small twigs and branches
• Food waste including cooked and uncooked food, meat, fish, bones, vegetables and fruit peelings, plate scrapings.

No thanks

• black-bagged waste
• food packaging
• garden furniture
• polystyrene
• Coal
• Diseased plants
• Dog poo, cat litter or nappies
• Large amounts of soil or turf
• Tree stumps
• Rubble or bricks
• Weedkiller
• Plastic bags
• Textiles - clothes and bedding
• Plant pots

Download a printable A4 guide to what you can put in your brown-lidded bin [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/file/34417/what_you_can_put_in_your_brown-lidded_bin].

Putting non-compostable items in your brown-lidded bin can cause lots of problems with the composting process. Common contaminations include plastics bags, food packaging, plant pots and rubble.

Please see the A-Z of rubbish and recycling [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/recyclingaz] if you are unsure of where an item should go.