Residents who wish to have garden waste collected by the Council between the period of 1st April until 30th November must purchase and display a permit. Permits for 2024 are no longer on sale but those who have a valid permit will still receive fortnightly collections until the end of November 2024.
This charge came into effect on 12 August 2024. Residents who purchased a permit for 2024 will still receive fortnightly collections until the end of November 2024. At the start of 2025, further information will be made available on how to purchase a permit for the 2025 season.
There is no statutory requirement to collect garden waste and Council Tax does not cover its collection. Due to reducing budgets and rising costs, the Council cannot continue to offer this service free of charge. In order to retain a garden waste collection and protect jobs, it was necessary to introduce a charge to contribute towards the cost of its provision.
This is an opt-in service. Everyone living in West Dunbartonshire, whether a homeowner or tenant, will be required to pay if they want their garden waste collected.
Collections of garden waste will cease on November 30th 2024 and will resume in April 2025. During this period, residents can compost their garden waste or dispose of it at either of the Council’s recycling centres.
Residents do not have to buy a permit but garden waste will only be collected from those households who have purchased and displayed. Residents who purchased a permit for 2024 will still receive fortnightly collections until the end of November 2024. At the start of 2025, more information will be made available on how to purchase a permit for the 2025 season.
Those who purchase a garden waste permit will receive fortnightly garden waste uplifts between April and November.
Residents can have garden waste collected from more than one brown bin but a permit is required for each bin. Brown bins which have been used to dispose of garden waste will only be uplifted if a permit is displayed.
Find out what you should be using your brown bin for on the what goes in my brown bin page.
Residents who do not wish to purchase a permit to have garden waste collected should continue to use their brown bin to deposit food waste.
Yes, brown bins can be requested online through the request a bin form
If the brown bin is used for food waste only then a permit is not required. If you would like to have garden waste collected, please ensure you receive delivery of the brown bin before applying for your garden waste permit.
If you are currently registered to receive an assisted collection for a brown bin and would like to participate in the garden waste service, then you will need to buy a garden waste permit.
You can continue to have an assisted collection of your brown bin for food waste only without purchasing a garden waste permit.
The permit applies to garden waste only. Residents should continue to place food waste, which is a statutory service covered by Council Tax, in the brown bin and this will still be collected on your designated collection day all year round. Please note, if food waste is mixed with garden waste and no permit is attached, the bin will not be collected. Any resident with a designated food bin will continue to have this collected free of charge, without the need to purchase a permit.
We ask that if you generate garden waste then you ensure it is disposed of appropriately by either purchasing a permit to have it collected by the Council or taking it to one of the recycling centres.
The general waste bin is for non-recyclable waste only and if recyclable waste is disposed of in this bin, it will not be collected.
This approach has been successfully implemented in neighbouring local authority areas without an increase in fly-tipping. If a resident who does not have a garden waste permit places their garden waste in a neighbour’s bin with a permit, this would be considered as fly-tipping and action could be taken.
There are no exemptions however those who are eligible and successfully apply to the Care of Garden Scheme will continue to experience the same level of service that they currently have, including the removal of garden waste. For those living in flatted properties with shared garden areas, it will continue to be the responsibility of all tenants for upkeep of the garden and appropriate disposal of waste.
The Council can supply compost bins for free by emailing wasteaware@west-dunbarton.gov.uk More information on composting is available at https://www.zerowastescotland.org.uk/resources/easy-guide-to-composting
A permit stays with the house - it can't move with you. If you're moving house within West Dunbartonshire and your new home doesn’t already have a permit, you'll need to purchase one if you wish to have garden waste uplifted. If your new home already has a permit, you can use that permit.
The permits are made from a hard-wearing synthetic material and cannot be removed from one bin and placed on another. In addition, permits will display the household address to make it easy for our waste operatives to see if a bin is being used at the correct location.
If your permit is damaged or lost you can request a replacement permit, please email wasteaware@west-dunbarton.gov.uk including your address and permit number if known.
Every brown bin used for garden waste must have a valid permit. If you want to share a garden waste bin with neighbours, then you will require a garden waste permit. To share a brown bin, you would only be required to purchase one garden waste permit per bin, however you will have to come to a private agreement with your neighbour(s) regarding who will apply and make payment for the service. The address of the payee will be printed on the waste permit which should be attached to the brown bin. The Council will not be involved in this process.