Garden waste registration is open
Since last October, you have helped us turn nearly 10,000 tonnes of garden waste into compost, which is used on farms, gardens and greenspace.
The current service year for garden waste collections was due to end on 4 October, however, we’re extending this until 8 November to compensate for the loss of service during the Coronavirus pandemic. Check your extra collection dates.
The next service year will run from 9 November 2020 to 7 November 2021. If you would like to receive collections, you’ll need to sign up or renew your permit by 2pm on 9 September. If you have a permit and don’t renew it by this date, we’ll not be able to collect your brown bin once your permit expires in November.
Sign up or renew and pay
Permits cost £25 per brown bin and will be emptied once every two weeks except over the festive period when there will be no collections between 14 December and 10 January.
There will only be one more opportunity to sign up to the new service year in early 2021. The payment will remain £25 and your permit will be valid until 7 November 2021.
If you want to share a bin with your neighbours, you will need to agree on one resident acting as the lead in paying for the service and reporting any issues.
You can register on behalf of someone else, if they are unable to.
Bowling clubs must register on the phone and apply for a waste transfer note.
Read the garden waste terms and conditions.
You will need to renew your permit every year before it expires to continue receiving the service.
You no longer have to use your mygovscot myaccount. However, if you choose not to log in, you won't see the history of your garden waste permits on your mygovscot myaccount.
Pay your garden waste subscription
Do you need to pay?
- If you choose to not sign up for the service, you will not receive garden waste collections.
- If you receive Council Tax Reduction formerly called Council Tax Benefit or because someone in your household is severely mentally impaired, the service will continue to be free, however you will still need to register to receive the service.
- Other reductions like single occupancy discount don’t qualify for free garden waste collections.
- If you are a Garden Aid customer, you will still need to register to receive the service. If you don’t pay for Garden Aid, or you are exempt for one of the reasons above, you won’t need to pay for the Garden Waste collection. You will need to pay for it otherwise.
- If you have your garden waste collected by Tiphereth you will also need to register and pay to continue receiving the service.
Display your permit sticker
Once you’ve paid for your permit, you will sent a garden waste calendar along with a permit sticker between 23 October and 4 November to put on your brown bin. Make sure you display this before 9 November as we can only empty bins with valid permit stickers.
Other ways to register
If you are having difficulties registering online, or are a bowling or lawn tennis club, you can phone us on
0131 357 2800.
Phone lines are open from 10am to 4pm Monday to Thursday and 10am to 3.40pm on Fridays. We have reduced staffing due to Coronavirus and phone lines will be busy so register online if you can.
If you usually register and pay at our locality offices you must now register online or over the phone. Our locality offices are closed and operating as community resilience centres during the Coronavirus pandemic.
You can ask a family member or friend to register and pay on your behalf online if you’re unable to do it yourself. This will help you avoid long wait times on the phone.
We don’t accept cheques or cash.
Damaged or missing bins
If your garden waste bin is damaged or missing you can email waste to order a new bin.
You must give your full name and address with the reason for your request.
Moving house
You can transfer your permit to your new address when you move house. You must give us at least 6 weeks’ notice and take your brown bin and permit sticker with you when you move. Email waste to let us know.
Other ways to recycle
You can still recycle your garden waste by using a compost bin and our recycling centres .
Find out what happens to all the recycling and waste collected in Edinburgh.