Somerset residents are being reminded that they can sign up for a fortnightly home garden waste collection.

The service run by Somerset Council has more than 56,000 subscribers and with spring well and truly here and gardens bursting into life, now is the perfect time to sign up.

Subscriptions can be started any time during the year and the quickest and easiest way to subscribe is online through the somerset.gov.uk/waste page – just use the ‘Do it online/My Waste Service’ feature.

Collections are made fortnightly year-round (apart from a short break during Christmas and New Year). Residents can either sign up to a pre-paid 180-litre wheeled bin or 90-litre compostable paper sacks. The price of a wheeled bin subscription for 2023/24 is £63.50 for 25 collections and for packs of ten garden waste sacks, £31.10.

All garden waste stays in Somerset, going to one of several composting sites, including Dimmer and Walpole, where it is shredded, and turned into compost. The end-product is sold as revive soil conditioner through all recycling sites.

Residents who already subscribe to the service will be sent a reminder, by email or post, in the month prior to their subscription ending. For example, a May mailing for those expiring in June. However, there is no need to wait until you receive a reminder, subscriptions can be renewed at any time (you’ll still get a full year service). If you are not online, you can also subscribe by calling 0300 123 2224.

Home composting is the recommended option for garden waste and those who have space to do so can order a subsided home composting bin from the council’s partner Get Composting. Garden waste can also be taken to any one of Somerset’s 16 waste recycling sites.

Garden waste should not be put out for collection with refuse. It is also not advised to burn garden waste, as this can cause pollution and local nuisance.