Brown Bin Collections

The brown bin scheme is proving a real hit with Ipswich residents and covers nearly 46,000 properties across the town. We also offer a 2nd brown bin service to residents on the existing scheme.

Collections

The brown composting bins are collected once a fortnight, at the same time as your recycling bin collection. You can use our online tool to find out when the bins will next be emptied in your street:

• When will my bin next be emptied?

Please help us by making sure that you put your bin out for collection at the right time and in the right place. Find out more on our Where to put your bin page.

What you can compost

Your brown bin is for composting your garden waste. Please place all of your garden waste loose in the brown bin. There is no need to put it in bags although it can be helpful to put a couple of sheets of newspaper in the bottom of your brown bin, to prevent waste sticking.

Please do not over load your brown bin. Bins that are deemed too heavy may not be emptied.

What you can compost

Yes please	No thank you
Fruit and vegetable peelings	Soil
Spoilt fruit and vegetables	Turf
Teabags and coffee grounds	Rubble
Grass cuttings	Landfill waste
Leaves	Biodegradable packaging
Light garden prunings	Compost
Hedge trimmings	Carrier bags
Untreated wood	Stones
Sawdust and pet straw (clean)	Egg shells
Weeds	Cat litter
Dead flowers	Animal waste/faeces
Plants	Meat/Fish
Shredded paper	Bread/Rice/Pasta
Real Christmas trees

Why compost our garden waste?

It is important to compost our garden waste and not just include it in our landfill waste as surprisingly 'green waste' doesn't just rot down harmlessly in landfill, as many people believe.

This is because in landfill, our waste decomposes without oxygen. The oxygen-consuming bacteria, usually responsible for the rotting process, are simply unable to survive in the deep layers of the landfill and instead, anaerobic bacteria break down our organic waste.

The by-products of this process are ozone-depleting methane, which is 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide, and a toxic liquid called leachate. This means that keeping our green waste out of landfill creates a healthier environment.

Thanks to the commitment of Ipswich residents last year, we diverted nearly 10,000 tonnes of green waste from being sent to landfill.

Garden Waste Bulk Collections

The bulky refuse garden waste collection service costs £24 per collection (prices subject to change).

A green bulk collection consists of up to five securely tied bundles (manageable by one person) of garden waste (tree prunings etc.) removed from your front garden.

Please visit our Garden Waste Bulk Collections page for more information. 

Soil improver

Soil improver can be purchased throughout the year from Household Waste Sites in pre-filled bags. You can call Suffolk County Council on 0845 606 6067 for more details.

Producing your own compost

You could produce your own compost by purchasing a home compost bin. These bins and other accessories are now available for Ipswich residents for as little as £16.98 (+ £5.49 for delivery) for a basic bin.

Details of all the products available can be found by visiting http://www.suffolk.getcomposting.com/ or calling the public order telephone line on 0844 571 4444.

Love food but hate waste?

In the UK we throw away 7.2 million tonnes of food and drink from our homes every year, shockingly the majority of which could have been eaten.

If you find yourself with leftover food, rather than throw it away take at look at the delicious recipes on the Love Food Hate Waste website.  You'll also find useful tips on how to store food correctly and portion planning.