Garden waste collection service - Terms and conditions

Thank you for subscribing to the optional paid-for garden waste collection service. By doing so, you agree to the following terms and conditions for the 2018-19 subscription period. You have been advised of the terms and conditions of the service prior to your subscription and you are further advised to familiarise yourself with the content of this document. This will enable you to better utilise this service.

• Service Subscription
• How the service will work
• Moving house
• Sharing bins
• What goes in the green bin?
• Information relating to the green recycling bin
• Unforeseen circumstances
• Legislation Regarding the Collection of Garden Waste
• Miscellaneous

Service Subscription

1. You agree to pay the annual standard charge of £40 (£35 if subscribing on-line) for the collection of your garden waste from one green wheeled bin. This standard charge will cover the period of 4 June 2018 to 2 June 2019.
2. You may subscribe to have additional green bins emptied at the same time. Each additional green bin will be charged a standard charge of £25. An online discount is not available for the collection of garden waste from additional green bins.
3. You may subscribe to the service at any time during the period of 7 May 2018 and 2 June 2019 but, regardless of when the subscription is made during that period, the amount charged for the service will be the same standard fee of £40 (£35 if you subscribe on-line).
4. Full payment, including the payment for any additional bins, is taken at the point of subscription and before you receive the service. Payment is made either online or by phone at 03330 035865.
5. Unfortunately, we are unable to set up a direct debit scheme for payments in relation to the garden waste collection service.
6. If full payment is not received at the time that you subscribe, the service will not commence and your subscription will not be successful.
7. Residents are reminded that payment may take time to process. Therefore, if you subscribe to the service in the days immediately prior to your next scheduled collection date, it may not be possible to process your subscription in time for the next scheduled collection date. You should wait until you receive your permit sticker before placing garden waste out for collection in your green bin.
8. Although an annual reminder will be provided, subscription renewal is your responsibility. Failure to renew your subscription and pay the associated charges will result in the garden waste service being cancelled for your property.
9. You have the right to cancel within 14 days of the confirmation of your subscription. Confirmation of this will be provided. This does not affect your statutory rights. If you cancel this service, your green bin will not be emptied if it contains garden waste. You can continue to place food waste in the green bin.
10. No refund will be issued if you decide to stop using the service for any reason.

How the service will work

11. Provision of the new subscription year will start on 4 June 2018 and garden waste will be collected once a week.
12. This service is for the collection of garden waste contained in the green bin(s), from residential properties only.
13. You can also include all your food waste in your green bin(s). Food waste must come from residential properties only.
14. Upon receipt of your subscription and associated payment, your property details will be added to Amey Plc.’s in-cab system that informs collection operatives of which households have subscribed to the service.
15. You will be provided with a permit sticker for each green bin covered by your subscription.  Your permit sticker will be delivered by post to your home address.
16. A permit sticker for your green bin will provide visual identification of your subscription. It is your responsibility to place the permit sticker prominently on the green bin. You must place your permit sticker on the back of the green bin below the handles, where it can easily be identified. Green bins placed for collection without a permit sticker will not be emptied if they contain garden waste.
17. You must also ensure that your household number is prominently displayed on your green bin.
18. If you discover that your bin(s) has not been emptied as scheduled, please call One Trafford on 03330 035865 within 3 working days of the scheduled collection date to report the non-collection of your bin(s).
19. If a valid reason is established for not emptying your bin(s) (e.g. bin contaminated or bin not presented on time) it will be recorded on the collection vehicles in-cab device and your bin(s) will not be emptied until the next scheduled collection date. If our records indicate that there was no reason why your bin(s) should not have been emptied, the collection crew will return to the address to empty the green bin(s) within 24 hours of this being reported.
20. If you are already on an assisted collection, this will continue.

Moving house

21. If you move house within the borough of Trafford, the service can be transferred to your new property. It is your responsibility to call One Trafford on 03330 035865 to request that your subscription be transferred and inform us of both your moving date and change of address. If you do not do this, Amey Plc. will continue to empty the green bin(s) at your old address until the end of the subscription period or from when the notification of change of address is received (whichever comes first).
    1. When you move house, you should leave all bins at your old property. All bins remain the property of Trafford Borough Council.
    2. Upon vacating your old address, you must remove the permit sticker from your green bin(s) and dispose of it. A new permit sticker will be issued via the post to your new address in the borough.
22. If you move out of the borough of Trafford, we are unable to provide a refund for the unused months. The service will still be valid at the permitted address until the end of the subscription year so it can be used by the new occupiers.
    1. When you move house, you should leave all bins at your old property. All bins remain the property of Trafford Borough Council.

Sharing bins

23. Green bin(s) may be shared amongst neighbours. However Amey Plc. will only collect garden waste from the green bin(s) displaying a valid permit sticker.
24. Any agreement made between neighbours to share green bins will be deemed a private agreement between yourself and your neighbour(s). Neither Trafford Borough Council nor Amey Plc. shall be responsible for any arrangements or disputes resulting from any such agreements.

What goes in the green bin?

25. The green bin(s) must be used for garden waste from residential properties only. Garden waste includes:
    1. Grass cuttings and hedge clippings
    2. Leaves and flowers
    3. Plants (including pot plants)
    4. Twigs and small branches (less than 10cm in diameter)

Please refer to the garden waste collection page of the Trafford Borough Council website for more information on what can be placed in the green bin.

26. You can also include all your food waste in your green bin. Food waste must come from residential properties only. Food waste includes:
    1. All cooked and uncooked food (no oils, no liquids and no packaging)
    2. Eggshells
    3. Tea bags
    4. Fruit and vegetable peelings
    5. Meat and bones
27. You must ensure that all garden waste is loose within the green bin. Plastic bags, plant pots, soil and fertiliser are not acceptable and the bin will be classed as containing the wrong items.
28. It is your responsibility to prevent invasive species from being placed in the bin. This includes Japanese Knotweed and Himalayan Balsam.
29. You should avoid compacting excessive amounts of garden waste in your green bin(s) as this may result in personal injury to the crew or damage to the bin. Only one attempt to empty the green bin will be made; any waste remaining in the bin will be left.
30. It is recommended that larger items, i.e. branches, are cut into smaller pieces as these will be less likely to become stuck within the bin and will use less space. This will allow for additional garden waste to be placed in the bin. Branches should not be larger than 10cm in diameter.
31. Neither Trafford Borough Council nor Amey Plc. accepts responsibility for garden waste that may become frozen within the green bin(s) dues to cold weather.
32. Upon collection, only one attempt to empty the green bin(s) fully will be made by operatives and any frozen waste remaining in the bin will be left. Amey Plc. will not return before the next scheduled collection date. Neither Trafford Borough Council nor Amey Plc. accepts responsibility for attempts by you to dislodge frozen garden waste.
33. Amey Plc. retains the right to refuse to empty a bin if it contains the wrong items. In order for the collection service to be resumed, you will be required to remove the wrong items from the bin(s) before your next scheduled collection date.     

Information relating to the green recycling bin

34. Collections will only be made from green bins supplied through the One Trafford Partnership. This is to comply with safety requirements and to prevent the damage to collection vehicles. Only garden waste contained within the green bin will be collected.
35. If you require a green bin(s) for the garden waste service, please get in touch at www.trafford.gov.uk/recycling or call 03330 035865.
36. You should ensure that your green bin(s), as with all other waste and recycling bins, weighs less than 50kgs when presented for collection with the lid fully closed. The bin should be easily mobile and undamaged. Collection of the bin may not take place if the bin does not comply with these guidelines due to safety considerations.
37. The standard size of the green bin provided is 240 litres, the same size as the standard black and blue recycling bins. You may choose to have a smaller 140 litre green bin instead. This is the same size as the grey bin. The same annual service charge applies, irrespective of the bin size. 
38. It remains your responsibility to safely store your bins between collections.
39. Bins should be presented by 6.30 am on the scheduled day of collection in a prominent and accessible position. Bins should not block the pavement for pedestrians. Amey Plc. will not return for bins that are not presented on time or not accessible at the time of collection.  
40. Trafford Borough Council retains ownership of all bins and caddies provided.
41. The service may be terminated if the bin(s) are misused.
42. New bins are provided in a clean and useable condition. It is your responsibility to check the bin for faults upon delivery and ensure it remains in a clean and useable condition.
43. If a bin is proven to be damaged by the collection process, Amey Plc. will replace it free of charge within 5 working days of it being reported. (Please note that a refurbished clean bin may be provided depending on current stock levels).

Unforeseen circumstances

44. All attempts will be made to collect garden waste on the scheduled collection date. However, if unforeseen circumstances or severe weather make collections impractical or unsafe, Amey Plc. reserves the right to suspend scheduled collections.
45. It is your responsibility to routinely check www.trafford.gov.uk for changes and updates to the garden waste collection service. Alternatively you can follow One Trafford on twitter at @OneTrafford for updates.
46. Should collections be missed due to circumstances beyond Amey Plc.’s control, every effort will be made to re-schedule the collection. Under this circumstance, residents are requested to check the Trafford Borough Council website or follow @One Trafford on Twitter for updates. Alternatively you can contact One Trafford on 03330 035865.
47. No refunds will be issued for missed or suspended collections.

Legislation Regarding the Collection of Garden Waste

48. Under the Controlled Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2012, garden waste collections are classed as a discretionary service. This means that although Trafford Borough Council is required by law to collect garden waste, it can charge to do so.

Miscellaneous

49. Amey Plc. retains the right to amend collection dates should it prove necessary due to external factors (force majeure). This includes but is not limited to adverse weather, road closures, strikers, fires and breakdowns of vehicles or machinery. All efforts will be made to maintain regular collections.
50. Customers use their green bin(s) at their own risk.
51. Neither Trafford Borough Council nor Amey Plc. takes responsibility if your bins go missing. All new, replacement or additional green bins will be charged an administration and delivery fee. If you believe you have extenuating circumstances that resulted in your bin going missing please call 03330 035865 explaining what measures you have taken to ensure the return of your bin and why it should be replaced free of charge.
52. Trafford Borough Council retains the right to make reasonable amendments to the terms and conditions. Notification of any amendments will be noted on the Trafford Borough Council website at www.trafford.gov.uk/gardenwaste