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Commercial garden waste disposal
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Commercial garden waste collection
Efficient garden waste collection is crucial for businesses, charities, and public institutions with green spaces.
However, managing these materials, from grass clippings and branches to fallen leaves, can be challenging, often leading to unnecessary costs or improper disposal.
In this guide we explain how to manage commercial garden waste. We cover:
Benefits of commercial garden waste collection
Effective garden waste collection helps businesses comply with regulations, reduce commercial waste collection costs, and support environmental sustainability. Here are the key benefits:
Ensures legal compliance
Properly managing garden waste ensures your business adheres to commercial waste regulations, avoiding fines and penalties.
Reduces greenhouse gas emissions
Recycling or composting garden waste prevents it from ending in landfills, significantly reducing methane emissions.
Lowers waste disposal costs
Businesses can reduce landfill tax liabilities and overall disposal expenses by recycling or composting garden waste.
Improves soil health
Composting garden waste produces nutrient-rich material that can be reused in landscaping, creating healthier green spaces.
Supports sustainability goals
Proper waste management demonstrates environmental responsibility, aligning with corporate sustainability targets and enhancing brand reputation.
Contributes to a circular economy
Recycling garden waste keeps valuable organic materials in use, reducing the need for new resources and supporting the circular economy.
Commercial garden waste costs
The amount of commercial garden waste your business generates will primarily depend on the size of your green areas, how often you maintain them, and whether you recycle or compost your waste on your property.
Here’s a summary, along with rough volume estimation figures:
| Impact | |
|---|---|
| Lawn size | Larger lawns will yield more glass clippings, especially in spring. 0.5 to 2 L of grass clippings per square meter of lawn after mowing |
| Plant density | The denser (wilder!) your garden, the more biomass it generates. Hedge: 1 - 2 L of branches and leaves per square meter of hedge after pruning. Trees: 1 - 10 L of fallen leaves per tree per week in autumn. Trees: 20 - 100 L of branches per tree per yearly prune. |
| Plant types & seasonality | Different plants produce varying amounts of waste, e.g. deciduous trees can shed a significant amount of leaves in autumn. |
| Maintenance frequency | Regular maintenance, including mowing, trimming, and pruning will result in more frequent, yet more constant garden waste volumes |
| Composting | If you actively compost garden waste or recycle it through other means (e.g. mulching), you will generate less waste overall. |
Example of a garden waste volume estimation
Let’s assume your business property has a small garden of 10m x 10m, 2 medium-sized trees, 5m2 of hedge, and 60m2 of lawn.
Using the figures from the table, your business’s garden will generate at its peak in autumn:
- Lawn clippings: 60 x 1 = 60 litres
- Hedge prunings: 5 x 2 = 10 litres
- Fallen leaves from its trees: 2 x 20 = 40 litres
- Branches from its tree pruning: 2 x 50 = 100 litres
This equates to 210 litres of uncompressed, unshredded garden waste. Assuming that compressing and shredding any prunings reduces the volume by 30%, this equates to about 150 litres of garden waste, enough to fit in a standard commercial waste bin.
Note that this estimation assumes no composting or recycling, which would substantially reduce these volumes.
Types of Garden Waste
Let’s take a look at what qualifies as garden waste. These are the natural materials generated during the maintenance of green spaces that can be recycled or composted efficiently:
Garden debris
Grass clippings, fallen leaves, twigs, and branches – Common plant debris from routine maintenance.
Compostable kitchen waste
Compostable raw fruit and vegetables – Includes items like banana peels and potato skins (only when mixed with garden waste).
Sawdust
Sawdust from untreated wood – Generated by sawmills or tree surgeons.
Small christmas trees
Trees like Nordmann Fir or Norwegian Spruce can be included if cut down to fit garden waste bins.
Pet bedding
Small amounts of hay or straw from office pets like rabbits or chickens.
What doesn't belong in garden waste?
Now, let’s look at what doesn’t belong in garden waste. These items can contaminate recycling processes or damage machinery and need to be handled separately:
Plastic garden waste bags
Plastic bags, such as black bin bags or large sacks for collecting garden waste, are not compostable and must be removed before disposal.
Non-organic waste
Rubber bands, plastic tags, metal stakes, plant pots, broken ceramics, and other non-organic items should not be mixed with garden waste.
Large garden waste
Logs and large branches are typically too big for garden waste recycling facilities and should be handled as wood waste.
Rocks
Large rocks, stones, or pebbles can damage waste processing equipment and should be excluded.
Treated wood
Varnished, painted, or chemically treated wood harms the environment and requires separate disposal.
Some kitchen waste
Processed or cooked food waste, including meat, should not be included with garden waste, as it attracts pests and does not effectively compost.
Garden waste collection providers
There are two main options for arranging a commercial garden waste collection service:
Private providers
Your business can access a range of quotes from vetted garden waste collection providers. Services often include scheduled collections, commercial bin rental, and sometimes a free waste audit to assess your needs. Use our service to request a quote and find the best provider for your business.
Local council collection
In some areas (especially in Wales and Scotland), local councils offer garden waste collection services for businesses and households. They provide dedicated bins or containers, with collections scheduled on specific days.
What are your commercial garden waste responsibilities?
In the UK, every business has a legal duty of care for their garden waste. This includes:
- Adhering to the Waste Hierarchy: Prioritise reducing, reusing, and recycling garden waste before disposal.
- Using Licensed Waste Providers: Ensure that any waste collection provider is certified to handle commercial waste.
- Separating Commercial Waste: Keep garden waste separate from domestic waste streams to ensure proper handling.
- Maintaining Waste Transfer Notes: Sign and retain copies of waste transfer notes as proof of compliance.
- Understanding Local Requirements: Check with your local council for specific guidelines or exemptions.