Waste Disposal

We hope this explanation of waste disposal on site helps.

Think carefully before bringing anything on site about whether it's going to be a disposal problem later. Windows, bathtubs and tyres sound great, but they have created major nuisances in the past.  Carpets contain "forever chemicals" that pollute the soil.  Remember that your lease says you have to leave the site clear when you go.

• Never bring items from home to dispose of on-site especially for landfill or dumping the public areas.  That's just anti-social. 

• Don't throw rocks or rubbish on the public paths.  That breaks the mower and just means we either don't mow that area or someone else has to move them.

• Don't dump anything (natural or otherwise) against the external fence - that's how the thieves get in and out.

• You must always dispose of your own electrical items including batteries and anything battery operated, tyres, paint and paint tins, and other hazardous waste.  

• Don't leave "useful stuff" against the chalet, in the bays, outside the gate, or anywhere else apart from your plot.  That just means volunteers have to clear it. Glass, doubly so as it often breaks first.  Instead, advertise it on the Facebook group.  If you aren't on Facebook, time permitting, we will help you advertise.

• We no longer take broken hand tools as the prison doesn't fix them now.  You can ask us if we want good hand tools for the communal stocks to replace ones that are damaged or stolen.

• You can leave scrap metal (but nothing else!) in the left-hand concrete bay, but only at times of year when there aren't many children around and when we don't need the space for something else.  There is signage to tell you whether the scrap metal collection is "open".

• Anything that can be composted must be composted.  Some people find it helpful to dry persistent weeds first, or drown them for six months.  We have communal composting for people with smaller plots.  Follow the guidance about what can go in carefully and observe the signage about which bins are open for new contributions and which are not.  You have to break material up before putting it in.  There's more information on the composting page.

• You can leave chippable material in the bays at certain times of year for our volunteer team to chip, but you need to cut it up yourself.  We are preparing information about how to do this.

• Some people dig remaining material from trees under beds to raise them, filling gaps with soil and twigs and leaves.  It will rot down and feed the plants above.  The practice is called Hugelkultur.

• As a last resort for seasoned wood from trees and other natural dry matter, and only 1 Oct - 30 Mar, you can burn them.  You should only burn when you will not create a nuisance for your neighbours and should put out fires if they ask.  Some plots may not have fires because they are too close to houses - you can find this information in your lease.  We have communal braziers in the concrete bays that you can use in place - don't take them away and don't leave wood for others to burn.    You may not burn furniture, painted objects, plastic, MDF, treated timber,  or anything else that will cause toxic fumes - burning is a last resort for disposing of trees.   

• For anything else:

  • Take it home or to the recycling centre if you can.  We don't have capacity for all the waste, and some people, like cyclists, need space on site more than others.  

  • We currently have a trade waste bin.  The Council pays for it and we are very grateful to them for this.  Don't leave anything next to it - you have to wait for space. It's especially anti-social to leave anything that will blow away or disintegrate, and also not very nice to fill the whole thing.   Break up what you can to pack it compactly.  

  • We sometimes get a skip in the spring, for items that won't fit in the trade waste bin or for excessive amounts of waste, mostly in sympathy for any people taking over problem plots.   This costs us around £350 and a big fine if any prohibited items go in it.   They don't take any hazardous items (although they do take glass), or things that decompose, like food.  Don't fill it over the sides, when it's full it's full, and try to pack stuff in or else we're paying a lot for them to take away air.