Garden waste
How much garden waste was produced?
103,253 tonnes of garden waste was produced in 2020-21. 97.8% of it was captured for recycling with only a small amount going into rubbish bins.
| Area | Garden waste per household (kg) |
|---|---|
| Elmbridge | 218 |
| Epsom & Ewell | 170 |
| Guildford | 202 |
| Mole Valley | 205 |
| Reigate & Banstead | 131 |
| Runnymede | 97 |
| Spelthorne | 98 |
| Surrey Heath | 167 |
| Tandridge | 159 |
| Waverley | 134 |
| Woking | 188 |
What happens to Surrey’s garden waste?
When garden waste is collected by a local crew from a household or is taken to a CRC, it is then transported to facilities in the south east of England where it is composted. First, anything that can’t be composted is removed. The rest is shredded and laid out in a long pile. The material is turned regularly to encourage micro-organisms to break it down, reaching temperatures of up to 60 degrees Celsius. Once it has completely broken down, it has been turned into compost, which is then sold to local businesses and farms to help new crops grow or to improve soil.
Is a garden waste bin best for the environment?
No, composting garden waste at home is the best option for the environment. If garden waste is composted at home, it means that collection vehicles don’t need to use fuel to visit homes to collect and deliver it to be composted at a facility. Compost can be spread back onto gardens and can help improve soil, which helps new things grow.
If residents want to start composting, SEP holds regular sales of compost bins at discount prices exclusively for those living in Surrey. As well as details of sales, SEP’s website also has lots of information to help residents get started and keep going.