Renfrewshire Council

What it is

Recycle your garden waste instead of putting it in your general waste bin. This allows us to take it to a composting plant, where it can become a valuable resource for commercial and residential fertiliser.

You'll need to buy a garden waste permit if you'd like us to collect your garden waste.

Once you have a garden waste permit, you can put these items in your brown bin:

• grass cuttings
• leaves and twigs
• branches and twigs (small enough to fit in the bin with the lid closed)
• hedge clippings
• plants.

Do not put these items in your brown bin:

• rubble and soil
• pet waste and bedding
• plant pots
• wood and fencing
• timber or logs
• garden furniture
• stones, gravel, or concrete (including DIY waste, such as plasterboard).

Find out more about what goes in your bins and rubbish sacks.

If you do not want a garden waste permit, you could:

• bag your garden waste and bring it to one of our household waste recycling centres for free
• order a bulky waste collection if you have lots of garden waste
• use your garden waste for home composting (Recycle Now's website).

Who can get a garden waste permit

You can apply for a garden waste permit if you live in Renfrewshire and:

• have a brown bin (find out how to order a bin)
• are on one of our brown bin collection routes.

To find out if you're on a brown bin collection route, check your bin collection schedule online. Not all addresses are currently available to check online due to a technical issue. If your address is not available to check online, check your printed collection calendar instead. You can order a new printed calendar online.

Before you apply

You'll need a debit or credit card to apply, unless you're entitled to a free garden waste permit.

If you receive Council Tax Reduction or exemption for a person with a severe mental impairment

You can get 1 free permit if you receive either:

• a full (100%) Council Tax Reduction
• a discount or exemption for a person with a severe mental impairment.

You still need to apply for a permit or have someone apply on your behalf. When applying, you'll be able to select Apply for a free permit.

If you share a brown bin

If you share a brown bin with a neighbour, you can share the cost of a permit. You'll need to arrange this between yourselves. The official owner of the brown bin still needs to apply for and pay for the permit themselves.

If you're on our garden assistance scheme

If you're on our garden assistance scheme, you do not need to apply for a permit. There is no change to our grass and hedge cutting service for people on this scheme, and we'll continue to remove your garden waste as usual.

If you pay someone to do your gardening

If you pay someone to do your gardening, such as a gardener or landscaper, you cannot put this garden waste in your brown bin or bring it to our household waste recycling centres.

The person who did the work is legally responsible for removing this waste from your site as part of their service to you.

Terms and conditions

Check the terms and conditions for our garden waste collection service for more information.

How to apply

If you already have a permit from last year, it will last until 30 April 2025.

You'll need to apply for a new permit if you'd like us to collect your garden waste after 1 May 2025.

If you'd like your permit to arrive before 1 May 2025, you should apply before 10 April. You can still apply after this date, but your permit might not arrive before 1 May.

Permits cost £47.

Apply for a garden waste permit online.

If you need a replacement permit

You'll need to request a free replacement permit if:

• you're moving house within Renfrewshire
• your permit has gone missing
• your permit has become worn or damaged.

We're not currently accepting applications for replacement permits. We'll start accepting applications for replacements again later in April. In the meantime, you can apply for a new permit.

If you need help with your application

If you need help with your application:

• phone 0300 300 0380
• email garden.waste@renfrewshire.gov.uk.

After you apply

You should receive your permit within 15 working days.

Attach your permit to your brown bin under the handles. Remember to remove your old permit, if you have one.

We'll then start collecting your garden waste on your next brown bin collection day.

New permits are valid from 1 May 2025 to 30 April 2026. All permits will expire on 30 April 2026, even if you bought your permit partway through the year.