Garden Waste Charging | Dundee City Council

Permit ordering for 2025 is now open.

Dundee City Council operates a wheeled bin kerbside collection scheme for residential garden waste disposal ('brown bin', 'green waste'). This service is chargeable and is managed through an annual permit system. The permit charge covers 20 collections, made fortnightly, from March each year. Collection crews will only empty brown bins displaying a valid permit sticker that matches the property address and collection year.

The cost of a permit for 2025 is £47.50 per brown bin.

We recommend householders sign up early to ensure permits are received in good time before the first collection date. If you don't already have a brown bin, one can be requested at time of permit purchase. Customers who opted in to the scheme in the previous year will automatically receive invitations to re-apply for the upcoming gardening season.

Permit Ordering Permit Status & Replacement Order Composting Bin Ordering

What are the registration arrangements?

Customers who opted in to the scheme in the previous year will automatically receive invitations, either by letter or email, to re-apply for the upcoming season. Updates and reminders will also feature on the Council’s social media channels. These notices will inform customers how to register for the service and how to make payment.

Residents will receive confirmation of their registration to the scheme within 21 working days of payment being received. Registration documentation will include a permit sticker (or multiple stickers where applicable) to be applied to their bin(s); this sticker will display the address and permit reference number for the registered property as well as the relevant year of registration.

Residents should ensure they are in receipt of or have ordered brown bin(s) prior to requesting permit(s). Please note these can take up to 21 days for delivery. Refunds are not eligible if a resident receives a permit prior to the delivery of brown bin(s). Brown bins can be ordered online using our New Bin Request form.

How will the payment be billed and collected?

Participating householders will be required to make a one-off annual payment, preferably online or by telephone as an alternative. Customers who opted in to the scheme in the previous year will automatically receive invitations, either by letter or email, to re-apply for the upcoming season. Updates and reminders will also feature on the Council’s social media channels. These notices will inform customers how to register for the service and how to make payment.

Registration should be completed wherever possible via our online registration system, and online facilities are available for use at libraries if required. If looking to register at a library, please visit Leisure & Culture Dundee's website for details. Payment can be made using a debit or credit card via the secure website or over the phone.

The current model does not offer the facility for people to pay this charge in instalments; this is consistent with existing arrangements for similar charges, eg, special collections.

How will you charge residents sharing a garden waste bin within a tenement?

Where residents wish to share the cost of a garden waste bin permit this will need to be arranged and managed by themselves, with the £47.50 charge being paid to the Council by a nominated resident rather than split across a group. The council will not enter into any group agreements with residents, nor will they manage any disputes that arise as a result of any such sharing arrangements.

Are elderly and disabled residents required to pay for the garden waste service?

All residents, regardless of age or ability, are required to pay the charge if they wish to use the kerbside collection service. Elderly and disabled residents are however able to make use of the assisted collection service for their garden waste bin. Qualifying conditions for assisted collections will apply.

Do residents participating in the council’s garden maintenance scheme require a permit?

Anyone on the council's garden maintenance scheme has the cuttings taken away by the gardening crews following the work. These crews will not use a resident’s brown bin, so residents will only need a permit if they require a brown bin for other gardening activities that they carry out themselves.

What options are available to residents who do not wish to pay for garden waste collections?

Whilst the disposal of garden waste remains the householder’s responsibility, there is no obligation to make use of the chargeable service.

Residents can choose to bring garden waste to Riverside or Baldovie Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) sites, where it can be disposed of free of charge.
Dundee City Council is able to provide a chargeable Special Collections service to uplift garden waste in addition to bulky waste items. Further information including an online booking form and current pricing can be found on our website: Bulky Uplift Service
Home composting is an available option for any residents wishing to manage their garden waste in this way. Further information on home composting is available on our website: Composting at Home

Standard sized composting units (330 litres) are available for purchase at a price of £25 (per unit) via Dundee City Council's Waste Management section. Orders can be placed using this form

How will assisted collections work for garden waste collections?

Where residents already have an assisted collection service in place for their other bins, this will automatically be applied to their garden waste collection once they have registered and paid for the appropriate permit.

The Council operates this collect and return service for people who are unable to present domestic bins out for collection based on established qualifying criteria.

Further information can be found on our website by following this link: Assisted Collection

How will the council identify residents who have paid for brown bin collections?

What happens if I sign up for less than the full year?

Residents are encouraged to have registered for the service before the start of collections in March to ensure that they receive the maximum number of collections throughout the year. Residents who sign up for the service after collections have commenced for the year will still be charged the full annual fee but will receive fewer collections.

What happens if I move house?

Purchased permits relate to the property address and not the householder, so if you move house the permit will remain at your old address and cannot be transferred or refunded.

Will I be refunded for missed collections?

No. Refunds will not be given for missed collections. If a collection is missed due to unforeseen circumstances (eg, vehicle breakdown or due to a genuine error), the collection will be completed as soon as practicable. If the bin has been presented late or in the incorrect location, the householder may be required to wait until the next scheduled collection before it is emptied. Refunds are not eligible if a resident receives a permit prior to the delivery of brown bin(s). Residents should ensure they are in receipt or have ordered brown bin(s) prior to requesting permit(s). Please note these can take up to 21 days for delivery.

What arrangements are in place in the event of service disruption?

Missed or suspended collections due to industrial strike action or severe weather events will be rescheduled later on in the calendar year to ensure residents receive their entitled 20 garden waste collections per annum. No refunds will be offered. Waste Services will recommence scheduled collections as soon as practical once service disruption has ceased. Communications regarding additional collections will be publicised via Dundee City Council website and social media channels.

What happens if my bin goes missing and I miss collections whilst waiting for a new bin? How do I get a replacement permit for the replacement bin?

Once you notify us that your bin has gone missing we will aim to deliver a replacement to you as quickly as possible, normally within 21 working days. A copy of the email confirming acceptance of the permit application can be used temporarily until you receive the replacement permit.

Are large garden waste bins available?

The larger wheeled bins are 240 litre capacity. If you currently have a small, 140 litre, brown bin you can request delivery of a larger replacement via the following link: New Bin Request

These containers will be delivered directly to householders; please retain your permit sticker for placement on the larger bin once you have received delivery.

Are additional bins available?

Yes. Although residents are required to pay the same annual permit charge for each additional bin they have, no maximum numbers are imposed.

What should I do if I don't want to keep my brown bin?

You can request to have your bin uplifted by filling out the following online form: Bin Uplift Request

Can residents arrange for another contractor to collect their garden waste, and is disposal free if they bring it to Riverside or Baldovie?

Residents can engage a contractor if they wish, although contractors will not be permitted to dispose of garden waste at Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) but should instead take it to Riverside Composing Site where standard charges apply. Residents can continue to bring their own garden waste to Baldovie and Riverside free of charge, although we would stress that if they choose to do so in a van or trailer they should ensure that they register for the HWRC permit scheme: Household Waste Recycling Centre Permits

Can garden waste be placed in the grey general waste bin?

Garden waste should not be placed inside the grey bin or presented as side waste, but instead disposed of either via the brown bin (with an appropriate permit) or free of charge at the nearest Household Waste Recycling Centre.

Why was the charge introduced?

Garden waste collection is not a statutory service; with reducing budgets and increasing costs the Council can no longer afford to operate this type of collection as a free service.

In order to retain a garden waste collection service, it was therefore necessary to introduce a charge to cover the cost of its provision. There is no obligation to make use of the chargeable service and residents can continue to dispose of garden waste free of charge at the Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) at Baldovie and Riverside.

Why has the price increased for a permit for 2025?

A £2.50 increase in cost for a permit has been applied for 2025, bringing the total cost of a garden permit to £47.50. This was approved by Elected Members and reflects the higher cost of delivering a non-statutory service including staffing, transport, processing and the supply of bins and permits.

Is the council allowed to charge for this service?

Yes. The Controlled Waste Regulations 1992 (Schedule 2) specify garden waste as a type of household waste for which a collection charge may be applied. In addition, garden waste is not one of the materials that local authorities are required to collect for recycling, as specified in the Waste (Scotland) Regulations 2012.

Are garden waste collections not included within the Council Tax?

Garden waste is not one of the materials that local authorities are required to collect for recycling, as specified in the Waste (Scotland) Regulations 2012. Services such as the collection and disposal of domestic waste are available to all households and are therefore funded from the Council's General Fund. The services provided from this budget are largely funded by government grants and council tax. Council Tax funds only a small proportion of the overall General Fund budget and the charge paid is not directly attributable to specific service or activities.

What can I recycle in my brown bin?

The following materials can be disposed of in your brown bin:

Grass cuttings
Leaves
Bark
Flowers and plants
Hedge trimmings
Weeds (excluding noxious weeds)
Twigs and small branches

What can't be recycled in my brown bin?

Please do not dispose of the following materials into your brown bin:

General waste (non-recyclable)
All types of plastics, metals, glass, cartons
Bin liners and plastic bags (including compostable types)
Clothing, textiles, fabrics, hessian materials including twine
Compostable cutlery/vegware/cups including bamboo or wood
Food waste
Pottery
Garden furniture or toys
Hardcore, rubble, gravel and stones
Noxious weeds including Japanese Knotweed, Giant Hogweed, Himalayan Balsam, Ragwort, Hemlock etc.
Pet waste including cat litter
Plant pots and trays
Soil and turf
Tree trunks
Thick branches i.e. greater width than 15cm
Treated timber
Any organic material treated with chemicals or pesticides (dispose of into general waste)

These are prohibited materials and contaminate collected tonnages of garden waste. Incorrect disposal of these materials risks damaging our machinery, contaminating land and compromises the quality of the compost produced at our Riverside facility. Please refer to the A-Z Recycling Guide for further information on how to correctly dispose of these listed waste types.

Important Notice - Permit holders are recommended to place the brown bin out by 07:30 on the day of collection to minimise the risk of contamination from passers-by. Any contamination identified in brown bins will result in the bin being rejected by crews and bin being tagged as contaminated. Permit holders will be required to completely remove the contaminants and either take the garden waste to our Recycling Centres for disposal, or present at the next scheduled kerbside collection. We will not return to collect contaminated brown bins. Repeated contamination of the brown bin may result in the permit being cancelled and service withdrawn. No refund will be offered.

How do I dispose of noxious weeds?

Please carefully bag, tie up and dispose of all noxious weeds securely in strong bags and place in your grey general waste bin for incineration at Dundee's Energy from Waste Plant. Examples include Japanese Knotweed, Giant Hogweed, Himalayan Balsam, Ragwort and Hemlock. These weeds are prohibited from the composting process as stipulated by the relevant standard (PAS100) and are harmful to composting operations. Please ensure appropriate safety precautions are in place whilst removing noxious weeds. For Japanese Knotweed or Giant Hogweed, it is strongly recommended commissioning the services of a licenced, trained professional regarding specialist removal and disposal.

Do not dispose of noxious weeds in brown garden waste bins or at Household Waste Recycling Centres.

Noxious weeds are listed below:

Japanese Knotweed (Invasive)

Plant characteristics include thick bamboo like stem - green/red in colour, broad green leaves and white flowers. Plants grow in clumps and can reach a height of 3 metres. It can grow through concrete and other construction materials causing damage to buildings and roads. Please select the following link for further information on managing Japanese Knotweed.

Giant Hogweed (Invasive)

Further information regarding Giant Hogweed can be found on this webpage.

Himalayan Balsam (Invasive)

Plant characteristics include purple-pink, umbrella shaped flowers, red stems and dark green leaves with serrated edges. Himalayan Balsam can reach 5 metres in height and spreads rapidly.

Ragwort (Poisonous)

Plant characteristics include clusters of yellow flowers (2cm wide) and thin toothed leaves. Ragwort can reach a height of 1 metre.

Hemlock (Poisonous)

Plant characteristics include green stem with purple-red spots, leaves with serrated edges and white flowers. Hemlock can reach a height of up to 2.5 metres.

Further information regarding noxious weeds can be found via Nature Scot website.

What happens to the garden waste?

Garden waste, once collected by Waste Management collection crews is taken to our Riverside composting facility where it goes through various processes prior to being recycled into compost. 'Discovery Compost’ is available for purchase for residents and commercial customers. Further information can be found on our website - What happens to Garden Waste.

Will compost be provided for sale at Riverside?

Yes. Discovery Compost is certified to Publicly Available Specification 100 (PAS 100) standard, which guarantees it is of a consistently high quality and is fit for purpose. Further information can be found on our website: Discovery Compost

The only communal collection points will be those that exist currently at Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs).

Is there any specific guidance to help residents understand how to recycle?

In addition to the garden waste collection scheme, we collect a wide range of recyclable materials from kerbside and communal collection routes plus the additional ‘bring’ sites distributed throughout the city. Further information is available on our recycling pages: Recycle for Dundee

What happens to all of the materials that Dundee residents put into their recycling bins?

Dundee City Council Waste Management uplift a variety of waste materials, both from household bins and our Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs), which are reprocessed into various new products. Further information on what happens to your waste, including waste journey videos can be found on our website: What happens to Your Waste.