The garden waste payment system has re-opened. You can register online, via the phone or at the Community Hubs.
Monmouthshire offers a fortnightly garden waste collection using 240 litre wheeled bins.
Each bin will be collected once per fortnight from 6th March 2023 to 8th December 2023.
With one additional collection between 8th – 19th January 2024 to help with the collection of leaf fall and Christmas trees.
The charge per bin for the 2023 season is £50.
Click here for more information about the decision to increase the price.
Existing customers must use their bins from last year.
New customers or those ordering more bins than last year will receive their bin/s by 4th March if you register by 26th February. After this date, any bins will be delivered within 14 days of ordering.
You can check your collection day online at – https://maps.monmouthshire.gov.uk/
Register for the garden waste service 2023
Please see our payment FAQs below for further advice.
If you receive a message which says “failed receipt” during the payment process, please do not attempt to pay again. If your payment has been successful you will receive an email with confirmation of your registration.
You will need to login to ‘My Monmouthshire’ to pay for the garden waste service. If you were a garden waste customer last year you will have an account already.
If you do not have an account already you will need register.
It won’t let me register on My Monmouthshire with my email address:
If the error message says ‘This email address already exists’ this could be that you have already registered with us or the customer services teams have registered you. To reset your password with that email address, click the ‘Forgot Password’ button underneath the login screen.
Garden waste payment FAQs
What went wrong with the system?
There has been a system error but we are hoping that the majority of the issues have been resolved. We continue to work with all relevant parties to address some of the intermittent issues being experienced by some of our customers.
Why has my online payment failed?
There are lots of reasons a payment can fail:
3D Secure is a protocol designed to help reduce fraud by allowing card-issuing banks to authenticate their cardholders whilst shopping online. Most card schemes support 3D Secure with their own branded authentication protocols – for example, Visa uses Verified by Visa, MasterCard’s protocol is called Identity Check, etc.
Possible reasons for a payment to fail:
- If the card provider has not activated their 3 D secure checks.
- If a card holder has not registered for 3 D secure with their card provider.
- If the details entered have not been verified correctly.
- System error.
- Human error.
Have you used the same card for online purchases previously? Do you have another card you could use?
Failing this you could pay over the telephone on 01633 644644 (press option 1 for English) then Select Option 3 for recycling & waste) or by visiting one of the Hubs in Abergavenny, Monmouth, Chepstow, Caldicot or Usk.
I have encountered an issue during the payment process?
You might have had a page appear that says the “system is unavailable” or it has taken a long time loading when authenticating the payment.
We are aware that the connection between the pages is running slightly slower than usual, please be patient, if you are not diverted in 2 minutes, please close the web browser, check your emails for a confirmation email, if you receive a confirmation your payment is secured.
If you do not receive this confirmation email, you can either:
1) Re-attempt the payment online.
2) Contact us on 01633 644644 to take your payment over the phone.
3) Visit one of our Community Hubs in Abergavenny, Monmouth, Chepstow, Caldicot or Usk to make your payment.
Will the service commence as planned on the 6th March?
Yes, the service will commence on 6th March, most customers will already have bins in place. Where you are a new customer we will prioritise bin deliveries so please sign up as early as possible.
I have received a payment failed receipt?
Please check whether you have also received a payment confirmed alert by email, if you have received a confirmation your payment is secured.
If you do not receive this confirmation email, you can either:
1) Re-attempt the payment online.
2) Contact us on 01633 644644 to take your payment over the phone.
3) Visit one of our Community Hubs in Abergavenny, Monmouth, Chepstow, Caldicot or Usk to make your payment.
I have paid twice – how do I get my money back?
Don’t panic, get all your information together e.g. Service request numbers, receipts, dates times, last 4 digits of your card number and give us a call on 01633 644644 or email contact@monmouthshire.gov.uk we will check it through the system and get your money back to you asap.
I haven’t been able to pay online and can’t get to Hubs how do I pay?
No problem, we have a number of officers who can take payment over the phone, give us a call on 01633 644644 and we can go through this with you.
Best to have a pen with you as you will need to write down a pin number when we transfer you to the secure line to enter your card details.
Garden waste collection FAQs
When can I register for garden waste collections in 2023?
Online registration for the public opened on 26th January 2023.
From 2nd February 2023 you will also be able to register by calling our contact centre or at the Community Hubs.
The collection service period begins from 6th March 2023.
The registration period ends on 1st September 2023.
When will my bin be delivered?
Existing customers who order the same number of bins as last year will be expected to use the bins they already have.
New customers or those ordering more bins than last year will receive their bin/s within 14 days of ordering.
Why is the price increasing?
We are sorry to inform you of the price increase, this was agreed through the councillor decision process and public consultation. The increase is necessary to cover the full cost of providing the service. Click here for more information.
My bin is broken and needs replacing?
If you have registered for the 2023 garden waste service and your bin is broken, please contact us and we will replace the bin. Please contact us on email contact@monmouthshire.gov.uk or call 01633 644644.
How do I use the wheeled bin?
You should store your garden waste bin on your property. Fill it with garden waste, ensure that the lid is closed. Your bin has two wheels on the same side as the handle. Tilt the bin so it is on the two wheels and you will be able to manoeuvre it. Place your bin at the kerbside before 7am on your day of collection. After collection return your bin to your property.
What are the dimensions of the wheeled bin?
The dimensions are: 58.2cm width (at top rim) x 72.4cm depth x 106.6cm overall height (lid closed).
The wheeled bins have a 240 litre capacity.
A wheeled bin is the equivalent of 3 of the old brown bags (80 litre each).
When will my garden waste be collected?
Each bin will be collected once per fortnight from 6th March 2023 to 8th December 2023.
With one additional collection between 8th – 19th January 2024 to help with the collection of leaf fall and Christmas trees.
Your collection day may change from last year. You can check your collection day online at – https://maps.monmouthshire.gov.uk/
Will I get a permit with a wheeled bin?
You will not receive a physical permit. A record of your subscription to the garden waste service will be stored electronically and the collection crews will have a system that tells them which properties have paid for the service.
What if I can’t store a bin?
In general, a wheeled bin takes up no more space than bags. If you cannot store a wheeled bin due to having no space between the front of the property and the public highway, we will work with our residents to ensure the service is still available to them. Please contact the council by calling: 01633 644644.
What if I can’t move a bin?
The bins can be wheeled so they are easy for residents to manoeuvre and do not have to be carried or lifted like a bag. If no member of the household is physically able to manoeuvre a wheeled bin, we will work with you to ensure the service is still available to you. Please contact the council by calling: 01633 644644.
Will there be another break in the garden waste service?
Key services were prioritised during the Covid19 lockdowns with the pressures on staffing levels. We will do our very best to keep the garden waste service running normally but this cannot be guaranteed.
How can I manage my garden waste at home?
Raising the cutting height on blades and mowing more frequently without collecting grass cuttings will help to fertilize the ground and reduce the amount of waste that needs disposing of.
Home composting is an easy alternative for dealing with grass cuttings, leaves and hedge trimmings.
You don’t need a compost bin, just a small area set aside for a simple compost heap will do. If it’s in a sunny spot the grass cuttings will rot down quickly so this can be a practical solution while garden collections are on hold.
A garden compost heap can be beneficial to insects and wildlife at a time when nature also needs a home. Wild patches of grass, hedges and tree canopy also play a huge part in the fight against Climate Change.
Can I burn my garden waste?
Please do not burn garden or any other waste. Environmental health officers are receiving a large increase in complaints and have appealed to the county’s residents to be good neighbours during these difficult times. People with existing respiratory problems and those recovering from Covid-19 need to be protected from poor air quality, including smoke from bonfires.
Collection rules
Seasonal garden waste service:
The garden waste service is a seasonal collection and will operate from March until the end of November. There will be 20 possible collections during the season. We will provide 1 additional collection in January to help with leaf fall and Christmas trees.
Please place your bins out for collection before 7am on your day of collection.
All garden waste must be inside the bin (not overflowing).
The garden waste bin must not be too heavy. The operative will have to wheel the bin to the collection vehicle. There is no set weight limit. If the operative cannot safely wheel the bin the council reserves the right to not empty the bin.
If the bin is contaminated with the wrong type of waste (e.g. food waste), the council reserve the right to not empty the bin.
The following items are accepted in the garden waste bin:
| Yes please: | No thanks: |
| Grass cuttings | soil, stones, gravel and rubble |
| Leaves and bark | large branches or logs over 2” in diameter |
| Plants, weeds and cut flowers | Japanese Knotweed and Common Ragwort |
| Twigs & small branches up to 2” in diameter | Food waste |
| Vegetarian animal bedding | cat, dog or bird waste/litter |
How to start Composting
Not sure what to do with your garden waste?
- Start composting it, it doesn’t take up much space, is easy to do, and will provide you with compost to mulch your flowers and vegetables, see the video below
- Store it until green waste collections re-start
- Raise your mower cut height and mulch the cuttings back into the ground rather than collecting them
- Mow less of your lawn if you can and let it grow
- Get Composting.
How to compost garden waste:
- create a little pile of grass, leaves and hedge clippings
- Preferably in a sunny spot (so it rots down more quickly) and on soil
- turn occasionally with a garden fork
- Leave out all food waste
- Let the insects do the rest
- Compost should be ready in 12 months
And to help nature during this Climate Emergency
- Leave little wild patches in your garden
- Avoid buying weed killers and pesticides
- Pollinating insects will be attracted to your garden
- Birds will follow in search of tasty insects
- Hedges, shrubs and trees provide food and shelter for wildlife
- Tree canopy cover will help reduce air pollution and the effects of climate change
Remember natures not neat …….and we need nature now as much as it needs us!
RHS advice on making compost: https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=444
Henry Doubleday Garden Organic composting advice: https://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/compost
Henry Doubleday Garden Organic have a set of resource sheets with information for choosing the right composting method for your situation: https://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/sustainable-communities-resources