Brown garden waste bin

Wirral Council offers a garden waste collection service for domestic households. This service is not available for commercial properties.

Property management companies

Property management companies should not use the online form to subscribe for garden waste collections. To arrange collections they should email wasteandenvironment@wirral.gov.uk.

Cost of the service

The subscription period runs from 1 June 2026 to 31 May 2027. 

  • £63.50 - collection of one bin
  • £34.80 - for each additional bin collected
  • £50.00 - new or replacement brown bin

The cost of the service is the same, no matter when you sign up during the year.

Payment is by credit or debit card only. 

Subscribe to garden waste collections

Collection schedule

Bin collections take place every two weeks. There are no collections during the Christmas and New Year period

Check your collection dates

What you can put in your brown bin

  • grass cuttings
  • hedge trimmings
  • prunings
  • leaves
  • weeds
  • dead flowers
  • real Christmas trees (please chop into smaller pieces to fit inside the bin)

Important:

Learn how to keep your wheelie bin clean

Putting your bin out for collection

To help us collect your bin efficiently:

  • put your bin out by 7am on your scheduled collection day
  • keep the lid fully closed - overfilled bins may not be collected
  • do not put garden waste in bags, either inside or next to the bin. Bagged garden waste cannot be collected or processed
  • make sure your bin isn’t too heavy - the lifting equipment may not be able to empty it
  • don’t squash the waste down - it could get stuck in the bin or make the bin too heavy. Both will mean that your bin isn’t emptied
  • in cold weather, the contents may freeze to the bin. Give it a shake before collection to help loosen the waste
  • store any extra garden waste until your next collection

Other ways to get rid of garden waste

How will the waste collectors know I have subscribed to the service?

Our collection vehicles are equipped with electronic records of all subscribed households. Once you subscribe, you’ll receive a permit to display on your brown bin.

Please attach the permit as soon as you receive it – this helps our crews quickly identify your bin, avoid delays, and ensure your garden waste is collected as scheduled.

How we will communicate with you about the garden waste service

We use the GOV.UK Notify service to send emails about the garden waste service. Emails will come from wirral.garden.waste@notifications.service.gov.uk.

From 27 April 2026 we are sending out emails inviting subscribers to renew their subscription for collections from 1 June 2026 to 31 May 2027.

Moving house?

If you are moving to a new address:

  • subscriptions are linked to the property, not the person. If you move, your subscription cannot be transferred to your new address.
  • you will need to purchase a new subscription for your new home, unless your new home already has an active subscription
  • no refunds are issued for any remaining time on your current permit
  • if there is no brown bin at your new property, you may take your existing bin with you

Can I get a refund if I cancel my subscription?

You can cancel your subscription and receive a full refund within 10 working days of the date you subscribed - provided no collections have taken place during that time.

Missed bin collections

If your bin hasn’t been collected on your scheduled day, please wait until after 5pm before reporting it.

Report a missed brown bin collection