It’s time to renew your garden waste collection

Chelmsford residents are being reminded to renew or subscribe for garden waste collections ahead of the beginning of the new subscription year.

The garden waste service provides brown bin collections for residents to dispose of their garden waste, which includes items like grass cuttings, leaves, twigs and hedge trimmings. The service collects garden waste on a fortnightly basis and operates throughout the year.

Since March 2025, the garden waste service has been an annual subscription scheme which residents can opt into. The new subscription year begins in March so residents are being encouraged to sign up over the next few weeks to help ensure continuity of collections and to make the most of the subscription.

Annual subscription fee

The subscription fee covers collections for one year, from March 2026 until the end of February 2027.

There are no set up fees and residents without an existing brown bin will be provided with one at no cost.  

The annual subscription fees for garden waste collections are:

• £62 for one bin.
• £46 for one bin for those who receive Council Tax Support.
• £32 for a second bin. This price applies to everyone.
• £62 per additional bin, up to the maximum of six per household. This price applies to everyone.

Setting up a subscription

Householders can visit the Chelmsford City Council website to subscribe or renew a subscription.

Bin stickers will be sent out in early February 2026 in time for the new service to start. The sticker should be attached to the bin, just under the handles, as soon as possible to ensure a smooth service.

If you have any questions about the service, you can complete the online garden waste contact form or call 01245 615800.

Why is there a charge for this service?

Unlike household waste and recycling, councils are not required by law to collect garden waste free of charge. This means the service does not have to be provided as part of council tax payments. With increasing financial pressure on services the council is legally required to provide, Chelmsford City Council could no longer maintain a free garden waste collection and the subscription scheme was introduced last year.

Chelmsford City Council was one of the last Essex councils to introduce a paid-for garden waste collection and at present, 13 out of 14 councils in Essex ask residents for a garden waste payment.