Brown Bin Collection

We operate a kerbside collection of compostable kitchen and garden waste and provides brown wheeled bins free of charge to residents.

The bins are emptied every two weeks by a dedicated collection service and the waste is transported to the purpose built compost facility at Lackford, where it is composted and processed into a range of different products.

During 2009/2010, 5,806 tonnes of garden and kitchen waste was collected for composting.

The council works with Viridor Waste Management and Greenview Environmental Limited to ensure a high quality range are products are produced. The resulting compost can be purchased at any Suffolk County Council run household waste and recycling site. For the location of your nearest site please call Suffolk County Council on 0845 606 6067.

Up to 30% of household rubbish can be composted instead of going to our landfills, making a useful product for your garden at the end of it! Composting reduces rubbish and re-uses organic materials.

When organic matter is buried in a landfill site, the airless conditions prevent natural composting processes. The materials ferment, producing both toxic liquids that can leach into nearby groundwater and methane - an explosive, potent contributor to the greenhouse effect.

In Forest Heath, it is very easy to compost your garden and kitchen waste using one of the following three options:

• Use the brown bin provided by the Council
• Take it to your local Household Waste and Recycling Centre
• Try composting your waste at home

Brown bin tips

Please follow the advice below when using your brown bin:

• Do not overfill your bin or make it too heavy. Excess garden waste can be taken to your local Household Waste and Recycling Centre, can be composted at home or subject to prior agreement, may be placed in your neighbour's bin
• Please put your bin out at the correct location, on the correct day and by 6.30am. Return your bin as soon as possible following collection. Do not leave your bin out any longer than it needs to be!
• Only place the correct waste material in the bin. If your bin contains the wrong material it will not be emptied and you will be responsible for removing the contamination. Contaminated vehicle loads entering the compost facility will be rejected
• Do not place waste beside the bin for collection - we do not accept 'side waste'
• Please put your house name / number on your bin for ease of recognition
• We suggest that fruit and vegetable scraps are collected on a dish which can be emptied daily. The dish can then be washed easily at the end of each day and re-used. This will help keep your kitchen hygienic
• Vegetable and fruit scraps can be wrapped in newspaper and then placed in the brown bin. This will prevent fruit flies
• Brown bins can be lined with newspaper to stop the green waste sticking
• Small amounts of shredded paper can be put into the brown bin. Shredded paper is not suitable for recycling (and so should not be placed in the blue bin) but it can be composted either in a brown bin or a home composter
• Any of the material put into the brown bin can also be composted at home. Composting is an inexpensive, natural process that transforms your kitchen and garden waste into valuable food for your garden. Finished compost is great for using on flower beds, vegetable plots and for mixing into planters, it can really make your garden bloom!

Related Links

Suffolk County Council

Household Waste and Recycling Centre

Home Composting

Offers on Composting Bins & Equipment