With spring just around the corner, it’s time to refresh your garden! Clear out dead leaves, flowers, and twigs to make space for new growth.

Green garden waste bags are now available at all Redbridge Libraries for just £2 each (maximum 5 per property).

Payment options: Debit Card, Apple Pay, Android Pay (all libraries) or cash (Redbridge Central Library only).
Proof of residency required (e.g., council tax document or driving licence)

Redbridge Council will collect:

• Hedge cuttings
• Grass cuttings
• Weeds
• Garden plants
• Flowers
• Dead leaves
• Twigs

Description of the service

The service is only available for kerbside collections from residential properties with their own gardens. The service is not available for business premises, allotments or flats without attached gardens.

We offer an assisted garden-waste collection service for residents who are currently receiving assisted collections for their household waste and recycling.

You can check your day of collection on the Redbridge Council website

PLEASE NOTE, YOU NEED TO BE LOGGED IN AND THE GARDEN WASTE COLLECTION DATES WILL NOT SHOW UNTIL 2 WEEKS BEFORE SERVICE STARTS

Composting

Composting is nature’s process of recycling food and garden waste into a valuable and nutrient rich food for your garden. By home composting you can:

• Reduce your household and garden waste. This means less waste has to be transported and processed elsewhere – a win for the environment!
• Save money. Once you’ve purchased your compost bin, there is nothing else you need to buy. You’ll then be continuously creating your own soil improver which could be ready in just 6-12 months, for free!
• Improve your garden. Adding compost to your garden will enrich your soil with nutrients, improve the soil structure, reduce pests, and build resilience in your garden. Adding it as a mulch around plants can also help to suppress weeds, moderate soil temperature, and retain moisture.
• Support wildlife. Composting at home creates a great environment for insects such as worms and beetles. They will work hard digesting your food and garden waste into valuable soil improver.
• Get outside. Even a short trip outside to your compost bin is a great opportunity to get some fresh air!

Free online composting training

As a Redbridge resident, you can complete free online composting training, provided by Garden Organic.

The course has five modules that you can select, from basics to in depth knowledge, including videos and quizzes. Each section lasts 10 to 20 minutes. You can just stick with the basics or go through everything if you wish – all at your own pace. You can come back to the course at any time, so it doesn’t have to be completed at once.

Sign online on the East London Waste Authority website

Community composting in Redbridge Parks

In Autumn 2024 we launched two brand new community composting sites in Redbridge parks – to help residents reduce waste and carbon, and to create soil improver to be used within the parks.

• Goodmayes Park, next to the Park Keeper’s compound, Aberdour Road, Goodmayes. What3words location.
• Seven Kings Park, next to the Park Keeper’s compound, located near the Epsom Road entrance, Ilford. What3words location.

The sites are accessible during park opening times and are particularly useful for those local to the parks, who are unable to compost at home due to lack of outside space.

Items that can be composted here include uncooked fruit and vegetables, peelings, tea bags, coffee grounds, paper caddy liners, and unwrapped dead flowers. You can use a kitchen caddy or any similar receptacle (such as an empty ice cream tub) to store your food in at home, but please do not use compostable food bags to line your caddy or receptacle. If you would like to use a liner, please use brown paper bags, newspaper or thin carboard such as a cereal box, these items can all be deposited in the compost bin with your food waste. A list of accepted materials can be found at each site.

For more information please visit the Redbridge Council website.