​​​​​​​Don’t let the grass grow under your feet – order your 2018/19 garden waste permit by 3rd June.

Highland Council Garden Waste Permits are now available to order for the 2018/19 Permit Season.  The new 2018/19 garden waste collection year will commence on the 2nd July and will run until the 30th June 2019.

Customers are encouraged to order their permit by the 3rd of June to ensure delivery in time for the first collections of the new service year.

Garden waste permits can be bought on-line at: www.highland.gov.uk/gardenwaste by phoning Highland Council’s Service Centre on 01349 886603 or in person at Council Service Points.

The opt-in service was introduced last year as an alternative to stopping garden waste collections altogether and to help bridge the Council’s funding gap. 

Approximately 33,000 garden waste permits were purchased in Highland last year following the introduction of the new service.

Permits purchased for the 2017/18 collection year are due to expire shortly, on the 30th of June.  To continue to receive garden waste collections during the new service year, existing and new customers are required to apply for 2018/19 permit stickers at their earliest convenience.

The cost of a garden waste permit for the 2018/19 collection service will be £35.00 for the year.  Up to 3 permits can be ordered per household.  Customers can continue to order garden waste permits after the 3rd of June.  However, the Council cannot guarantee that permits ordered following this date will arrive in time for the first collections of the 2018/19 permit year.

Councillor Allan Henderson, Chair of Community Services said: “A high level of demand for permits last year demonstrated Highland householders’ commitment to recycling garden waste and continuing to reduce waste being sent to landfill. 

“We anticipate that demand for permits will be high in the weeks immediately prior to the 2018/19 service commencing and encourage households to sign-up prior to the 3rd of June to ensure they receive permits in time for the first collections.”

The service is optional and householders are also able to take their garden waste along to their local Recycling Centre free of charge. To find your local Recycling Centre that can accept green waste, please visit www.highland.gov.uk/recycle. 

Householders who no longer wish to receive garden waste collections can also return unwanted brown bins at Recycling Centres.

For more information please visit www.highland.gov.uk/gardenwaste, e-mail recycle@highland.gov.uk or call 01349 886603.

9 May 2018