Bedford Borough Council is pleased to announce that green garden waste collections will restart from Monday, 2 March, helping residents get their gardens ready for spring.
This non-statutory service will continue to be provided at no additional charge, ensuring that households can conveniently and sustainably dispose of their garden waste. From March to November 2025, the council collected 9,477 tonnes of garden waste, all composted locally at Ravensden.
Garden waste is composted through open windrow composting, which naturally breaks down garden waste such as grass cuttings, leaves and branches. Because this is an open-air process, food waste cannot be accepted. From Monday, 30 March, food waste will be collected from homes in separate collections and sent to a specialist anaerobic digestion facility, where it will be turned into renewable energy and nutrient-rich fertiliser. Find out more at www.bedford.gov.uk/FoodWaste
Councillor Nicola Gribble, Portfolio Holder for Environment, said, “We’re delighted to restart our green garden waste collections, an important service that helps residents manage their garden waste sustainably. Despite current financial pressures and cuts to council funding nationally, we’ve committed to keeping this valued service for our residents. I’d like to thank everyone for continuing to recycle and dispose of waste responsibly, helping us keep Bedford Borough clean and green.”
This service benefits those lucky enough to have a garden or green space at home, offering a simple way to recycle garden waste and support the Borough’s environmental goals.
Accepted items include grass, plants, weeds, flowers, hedge clippings, leaves and bark. Please don’t put soil, rubble, food waste, or large branches in your green bin, as these may cause your collection to be rejected. Learn more about what should or shouldn’t go in green-lidded wheelie bins at www.bedford.gov.uk/mybins
Extra garden waste left next to residents' green-lidded bins will not be collected. For households with more garden waste than fits in their bin, there are convenient alternatives. Residents are encouraged to try home composting, which is a simple and environmentally friendly way to turn garden cuttings and kitchen peelings into a nutrient‑rich fertiliser for their gardens. Additional garden waste can also be taken to the Household Waste Recycling Centre on Barkers Lane, where it is accepted free of charge. Alternatively, residents can buy an extra green-lidded bin at: www.bedford.gov.uk/request-extra-capacity-waste-or-recycling
Residents can find full details of what goes in each bin, collection dates, and recycling tips at www.bedford.gov.uk/BinsAndRecycling