Garden Waste collection service 2025 terms and conditions

These terms and conditions shall apply to the provision of a green waste collection service (the 'Service') by the Council of the Borough of South Tyneside (the 'Council') to you ('You')

1. Service Description

The Council operates a garden waste collection service ('Service') which runs from approximately April till November each year*.

2. Service Eligibility Criteria

The Council will offer the Service to properties that fulfil the following criteria:

Are situated within the boundary of South Tyneside.
The area/property must be accessible by a refuse collection vehicle. This includes being able to empty bins and manoeuvre the collection vehicle (turn round) easily and safely.

The Council reserves the right to decline an application where the Council considers it not viable to do so within the current resources.

3. Application Process / Payment

a) Subscription to this Service is solely for the collection of garden waste ('waste'). You can subscribe to the Service online, via the Customer Contact Centre or the self-service system at South Shields Town Hall.

b) The charge** for the Service is for one garden waste season and is per bin. There is no limit to the number of bins that can be purchased per property.

c) Payment can be made by various methods including over the internet, by telephone and in person at South Shields Town Hall via the self-service system.

d) To receive the minimum of 13 collections per bin, You must subscribe to the Service before the cut-off date (14^th February 2025)***. If You subscribe after the cut-off date, You may not receive 13 collections per bin and You must wait until you receive your sticker before your waste can be included in the next collection. If You subscribe after the cut-off date no pro rata reduction in the per bin charge will be given and collections cannot be claimed to be 'owed' or carried forward to the following season.

e) If You subscribe before the cut-off date, You will receive your bin sticker in advance of your first collection. If You subscribe after the cut-off date, You will receive your bin sticker within 15 working days.

f) The Council reserves the right to refuse an application for the Service based on the eligibility criteria as described in section 2.

4. Garden Waste Bins

a) Only bins supplied by the Council will be emptied. Waste presented in any other container will not be collected.

b) On payment of the charge, the Council will issue You with a bin sticker. Stickers must be placed on the bin, where they are easily visible to the crew. You must write Your address, in permanent marker and in the space provided on the bin sticker. Bins must be presented with the sticker facing towards road / collection route.

c) Photocopying or duplication of stickers is not permitted. Stickers must be stuck to the bins in their original state and must not be tampered with.

d) No Service will be provided for bins that are not recorded on the Council's waste service management system and / or not displaying a sticker for the applicable year.

5. Collection Days

a) Waste will be collected once every two weeks on a day specified by the Council. The Council reserves the right to alter the collection day or dates of the collection season and will provide reasonable notice in writing to You of any changes.

b) During periods of severe weather, the Council reserves the right to suspend collections. Notice of this will be posted on our website. No refunds or part refunds will be given in these circumstances.

c) The Service operates from Tuesday to Friday, excluding Bank Holidays. Details of your collection day and date can be found on the Council's website www.southtyneside.gov.uk/bincollections. Here you have the option to print a collection calendar. If you do not have access to printer, the team at the Customer Service Reception at South Shields Town Hall will be able to print a calendar for you. Alternatively, it can be printed at public libraries across South Tyneside

6. Presenting Garden Waste Bins

a) Bins must be presented at the kerbside on the boundary of the property by 7.30am on the day of collection. Bins are to be placed at the same point as the household refuse and blue recycling collection Service bins for collection on their allocated day of collection.

b) Bins must be clearly visible from the road, without any obstructions, away from hedges and walls and presented handles facing the kerb so the sticker can be clearly seen.

c) The bin lid must be closed when presented for collection.

d) After emptying, the bin will be returned to the boundary of the property. It is Your responsibility to ensure that the bin is brought back onto Your property the same day.

7. Assisted Collections (help to put the bin out)

An assisted collection Service is available upon request for eligible households. To receive an assisted collection Service, You can apply online via the Council's website www.southtyneside.gov.uk/bins or via the Customer Contact Centre. If You already receive an assisted collection and are eligible for the Service, then upon subscription, assisted collection of the bin will be automatically arranged.

8. Garden Waste Bins not collected

Bins not presented for collection

a) Bins must be presented for collection by 7.30am on the day of collection.

b) Where Your bin is not presented for collection, You are responsible for disposal of the waste.

c) Where You do not present Your bin for collection in accordance with section 6, You will have the following options: take the waste to the Recycling Village, Middlefields or subject to section 10, store the waste in the bin until the next collection day.

Missed bin collections

d) A missed bin collection is where a bin has not been emptied, on the allocated collection day, by the Council, due to either unforeseen operational difficulties, inclement weather, industrial action, protests, illness, shortage of employees or in the event of a Force Majeure****. Shouldcollections be missed due to circumstances beyond the Council's control, every effort will be made to re-schedule the collection. No refunds or part refunds will be issued for missed collection.

e) In the event that the Council has missed the collection of a bin, You should report this via the Council's website at www.southtyneside.gov.uk/missedbin or via the Customer Contact Centre. Missed bins must be reported by 6.30pm, the day after collection was due. In circumstances where a 'missed bin collection' is reported, a repeat collection will be provided and where possible, the Council will return and collect the waste within 5***** working days (not including the day of collection) from when the missed collection was reported. In these circumstances You will not be entitled to a refund or part refund of the charge.

9. Moving house

a) If You move to a new house in South Tyneside You can take the bin with You. You need to notify the Council, by contacting the Customer Contact Centre, of Your change of address as soon as possible. The Council will then establish whether the new property satisfies the eligibility criteria in section 2 and then notify You of the outcome in writing, and of the new collection day if appropriate.

b) Refunds will not be given if the new property is not eligible to receive the Service.

10. What can be put in a garden waste bin - acceptable material, contamination and overweight green waste bins

a) Only loose waste may be placed in the bin. Waste includes grass cuttings, flowers, small amounts of turf and soil, small tree branches (5cm or less in diameter), loose leaves, shrub and hedge trimmings. Large tree branches (greater than 5cm in diameter), stones and gravel etc. are not permitted. The waste must not be placed in plastic bags or any other sort of packaging including plastic plant pots, as this affects the composting process and contaminates the resultant compost.

b) Contaminated bins (i.e. bins containing incorrect materials or plastic bags) will not be emptied. A tag will be applied to the bin to inform You of what incorrect materials have been left in the bin. It is Your responsibility to remove the item(s) of contamination prior to the next collection. If the contamination continues, the Council reserves the right to cancel the Service to that particular property. No refund will be given where the contract is terminated due to misuse.

c) Bins that are overflowing or overweight, i.e. where the collection crew are unable to move the bin, or the lifts on the bin wagon are unable to lift the bin to empty it, due to it being overweight, will not be emptied. A tag will be placed on the bin to identify it as being overweight or overflowing. It is Your responsibility to remove the item(s) prior to the next collection.

d) If the bin is compacted too densely it may not be possible to empty the bin. A tag will be applied to the bin to advise You that the material in the bin is too densely packed. It is Your responsibility to loosen the waste so that it can be emptied on the next collection day.

e) No side waste will be collected, i.e. next to the bin or balanced on the lid.

11. Your right to cancel the Service

You are entitled to cancel this agreement at any time.

Requests to cancel the Service can be made using the following methods:

by email to greenwaste@southtyneside.gov.uk referencing 'garden waste cancellation', providing your full name, the address of the property and the relevant contact details.
by telephoning the Customer Contact Centre.

12. Refunds upon cancellation of the Service

a) Before the Council begins to provide the Service, You may cancel Your subscription within 14 calendar days after accepting these terms and conditions when you subscribe online. Or if You have signed up via the Customer Contact Centre or via the self-service system at South Shields Town Hall, You may cancel Your subscription within 14 calendar days after the date upon which You have received these terms and conditions. In these circumstances the Council will refund the charge in full. The Council will not refund the charge if cancellation is made after this time.

b) Once You are in receipt of the Service and You subsequently wish to cancel the Service You will not be entitled to a refund or partial refund of the charge.

13. Liability and indemnity

a) The Council will not by reason of any representation, implied warranty, condition or other term, or any duty at common law or under these terms and conditions, be liable for any loss of profit or any indirect, special or consequential loss, damage, costs, expenses or other claims (whether caused by the Council's employees, agents or otherwise) in connection with its provision of the Service or the performance of any of its other obligations under these terms and conditions or with the use by You of the Services supplied.

b) The Council shall not be liable to You or be deemed to be in breach of these terms and conditions by reason of any delay in performing, or any failure to perform, any of the Council's obligations if such delay or failure is due to any cause beyond the Council's reasonable control.

c) Nothing in these terms and conditions shall limit or exclude the Council's liability for death or personal injury caused by its negligence or for any other matters for which it would be unlawful to exclude or limit liability.

14. Statutory Rights

These terms and conditions do not affect Your statutory rights.

15. Data Protection Statement

The Council requires the following information from You when subscribing to this Service;

Name, Property address, Email address and telephone number.

The information collected by the Council is retained solely for the purpose of providing the Service. You are required to notify the Council of any changes to the information supplied when subscribing to the Service.

16. Changes to Terms and Conditions

The Council reserves the right to amend these terms and conditions at any time. You will be notified in writing (via email or letter depending upon Your original subscription to the Service) of any changes.

17. Contact us

Our Customer Contact Centre can be contacted on 0191 427 7000.

*These dates may be subject to change by the Council.

**The charge for the Service is as advertised by the Council for the applicable garden waste season.

***The 'cut-off date' means that date advertised by the Council for the applicable garden waste season.

****'Force Majeure' means an event or circumstance which is beyond the reasonable control of the Council. This includes without limitation: acts of God, war, industrial action protests, fire, flood, storm, tempest, epidemic, pandemic, explosion, acts of terrorism and national emergencies.

***** Changes to this time period or dates may apply during, inclement weather, in cases of operational difficulty or any event of 'Force Majeure'.