GARDENERS across the borough can apply for a garden waste collection permit for 2021-22.
Residents signed up for a collection last year will get an email or letter asking them to apply for use of a brown wheelie bin for the new financial year.
Currently, there are more than 23,000 residents signed up for the service, which takes away garden clippings, grass cuttings, leaves and weeds fortnightly from the kerbside in a 240-litre brown wheeled bin.
It means residents can have more than 6,000 tonnes of green material collected from outside their home each year.
Residents can sign up via the council website from next week. The cost has risen by £5, making collection £65 for the year. It covers the period from May 1, 2021 until April 30, 2022.
The renewal period is later this year due to an additional month given to all subscribers for 2020-21 due to the pandemic and disruption to collections.
An individual brown garden waste sack, which has a 75-litre capacity, has also increased in price from £1 to £1.10.
A graded price structure has also been introduced so residents will pay £50 if they join after July 1, or £35 if they join after October 1.
“Our garden waste service continues to be popular across the borough with more than 23,000 residents now using it,” said Cllr Parry Batth, executive member for environment and leisure.
“We have introduced a small price increase for the first time since the service started nine years ago and this is only to cover additional costs of running it.
“Garden waste is a perfect example of closed loop recycling, where residents can turn what used to be in their gardens into compost, which can then be used to help grow new plants.”
Once collected all the materials are turned into compost, which is sold at re3 recycling centres.
It’s transformed at a composting facility in Oxfordshire, before being put into 40-litre bags and sold for £3.50 each.
If residents sign up to the brown bin scheme, they will get a teal sticker delivered, to place on their bin to show they have paid.
This should come within 10 working days of the order being completed.
Anyone ordering a brown bin for the first time will have the teal sticker attached.
For more details, visit Wokingham Borough Council’s website
