Garden waste - collections from home

A chargeable Garden Waste collection service and support for home composting are two of the ways the Council helps residents convert garden waste into soil improvers for gardens and allotments.

Garden waste is banned from ordinary rubbish collections. Residents can also take garden waste, free of charge, to one of the Recycling Centres - Devon County Council.

The garden waste service is a chargeable service that is available to Exeter residents to dispose of garden waste only. This garden waste is taken to a local processor and converted into compost.

Between March and November scheduled collections take place every two weeks, and during most of winter collections are fortnightly, by appointment.  Please email gardenwaste@exeter.gov.uk or telephone 01392 665010 to book a garden waste collection.

To participate in the garden waste collection service users must present garden waste in a Council brown wheelie bin, or special biodegradable sacks that can be purchased from Council offices at the Civic Centre or Exton Road. The Council will not accept garden waste in any other container.

Should I rent a wheelie bin or use biodegradable sacks?

Brown wheelie bins

If you have the storage space and produce lots of garden waste you may prefer to rent one or more brown wheelie bins. The annual hire cost includes scheduled fortnightly collections during the growing season, and monthly collections by appointment, during the winter months (additional bins can be hired at a reduced rate).  A large wheelie bin costs £36 per annum,  and a small wheelie bin costs £26 per annum.  Bins hired remain the property of the Council and must be returned to the Council should you no longer require this service.

• Find out when your bin is collected

Biodegradable sacks

If you have limited storage space or don't produce much garden waste you may prefer to use Exeter City Council biodegradable sacks when needed. The purchase price of these special biodegradable sacks includes registration and collections.

There is a registration requirement to purchase at least 5 biodegradable sacks each year. Collections will automatically stop if no further purchases are made within 12 months

Sacks cost £2.00 each and may be purchased in rolls of 5, 10 or 20 from the following Council offices:

• Civic Centre, Paris Street: Opening hours Monday to Wednesday,  & Friday between 8:30am and 5:00pm.   Opening hours on Thursdays between 8:30 am and 7:00pm 
• Oakwood House, Exton Road, Marsh Barton - opening hours Monday to Thursday between 8:30am and 5:00pm and Friday between 8:30am and 4:30pm

Sacks may be purchased via telephone 01392 665010, however an additional charge of £1.50 will be made for packaging and posting.

Please present sacks at the edge of your property on your scheduled collection day during the growing season.  Please call us on 01392 665010 to book your monthly collections during winter. Care must be taken not to overfill sacks - if they are too heavy they may be left by the collection crew. Unused biodegradable sacks must be kept dry and in a dark place to ensure they do not degrade.

• Find out when your bin is collected