Garden waste

Residents that missed a garden waste collection week beginning 13 March 2023 due to snow will have a replacement garden waste collection in December 2023. To find out when your collections will take place please input your postcode into our bin collection dates page. You can view the additional dates below if you know your round.

Scheduled date Round
Monday 4 December 2023 R
Tuesday 5 December 2023 S
Wednesday 6 December 2023 T
Thursday 7 December 2023 U
Friday 8 December 2023 V


Subscriptions for the 2023 service are now closed. 

When can I sign up for the 2024 service?

We will update this page once subscriptions for 2024 are open.

Acceptable items

  • Leaves
  • Twigs
  • Prunings
  • Grass cuttings
  • Weeds and plants
  • Cut flowers
  • Small branches (no larger than 3 inches/7.5cm in diameter)

Unacceptable items

  • Food waste (cooked or uncooked including fallen fruit and garden vegetables)
  • Bio-degradable bin liners - why can I not put this in my bin?
  • Compostable film made from plant matter - why can I not put this in my bin?
  • Plastic (plant pots, seed trays, plastic bags)
  • Soil
  • Bricks
  • Rubble
  • Household waste
  • Wood
  • Animal bedding
  • Animal faeces

Garden waste collection policy

  • Please make sure your bin is put out for collection by 6:00am on collection day.
  • Your bin lid must be closed properly.
  • Missed collections of garden waste must be reported by 12 noon on the next working day.
  • Extra bags of garden waste by the side of the bin will not be collected unless authorised by the council.
  • Garden waste must be put loose into the garden waste bin.
  • Garden waste MUST NOT be put inside any plastic or paper bags even if these bags are classed as biodegradable.
  • Garden waste bins that contain unacceptable items of waste will not be emptied.
  • If garden waste is stuck or frozen inside your garden waste bin the council will not return to empty the bin but will take additional garden waste on the next collection day.
  • Garden waste bins that are too heavy will not be emptied.
  • No animal waste should be placed inside the garden waste bin.
  • No food waste should be placed inside the garden waste bin.
  • For further information please read our full terms and conditions of the garden waste collection service.

Existing customers that no longer wish to receive garden waste collections

If you are an existing customer and you do not wish to receive the garden waste service in 2024, please note that the council does not intend to remove your garden waste bin.

Home composting

If you do not wish to use the garden waste service and would prefer to compost at home, you can purchase a discounted compost bin through the scheme run by Derbyshire County Council

Helping the environment

Participating in the garden waste service is beneficial to the environment and residents too! The service assists residents to get rid of their garden waste throughout the growing season. 

Your garden waste is taken to a site in Derbyshire for composting. Using specialist equipment a waste contractor shreds and grades the garden waste. The shredded garden waste is then shaped into windrows to rot down to produce compost. At the end of the decomposition process the final product is a compost / soil improver that is re-used instead of being disposed of in a landfill site.

How much garden waste has been collected so far?

Each year, residents in Amber Valley help the council collect around 4,500 to 5,000 tonnes of garden waste.

Thank you for supporting this service!

Need further help or information?

Contact the team directly on 01773 841326 or email refuse@ambervalley.gov.uk