Chargeable garden waste collection - Frequently asked questions

However, to recycle garden waste in the brown bin along with food waste, you need to buy an annual Garden Waste Permit. Our annual charge for collecting garden waste from the kerbside during 2026 to 2027 is £45.

My brown bin

What is the cost of the 2026/2027 Garden Waste permit? 

The Chargeable Garden Waste Collection Service for 2026/2027 will remain at £45. The service is still subsidised by the Council. An annual permit is needed for each bin presented containing garden waste. Households can have a maximum of two brown bins per property. Once paid, the householder will receive a permit which is to be attached to the back of the bin to indicate to collection crews to uplift the bin. If bins are presented containing garden waste, without a valid permit, they will not be emptied. The £45 charge applies regardless of when during the year the permit is purchased. All permits issued will expire on 31 March 2027.
 

What can I recycle in my brown bin?

Cooked and uncooked food waste

Cooked and uncooked food waste can be recycled in your brown bin without a permit. You can use a compostable liner or newspaper to wrap food waste. Alternatively, you can place food waste loose in the bin.

What is food waste? Food waste includes waste from preparing meals, plate scrapings and leftovers, out of date food, any food items produced from a household garden, dairy, eggs, meat bones and fish bones, tea bags, coffee grounds, fruit, vegetables, bread, cakes, pastries, rice and pasta. 

The Waste (Scotland) Regulations 2012 defines food waste as follows: (7B) "Food waste" means controlled waste that was at any time food intended for human consumption (even if of no nutritional value), and includes biodegradable waste produced as consequence of the processing or preparation of food, but does not include drink.

Garden waste

Garden waste can be recycled in your brown bin, but you will need to buy a Garden Waste Permit.

What is garden waste? Garden waste includes grass cuttings, small twigs and branches, leaves, cut flowers and houseplants, weeds, hedge cuttings, sawdust, bark and hay.  View more information on garden waste recycling in your brown bin.

Please note: Coal ash is not accepted in brown bins, even with a Garden Waste Permit. Wood ash is accepted, with a Garden Waste Permit, but should be cold when added to the bin.

How often will my brown bin be emptied?

There will be no change to the brown bin collection day. Households will continue to receive uplifts on a fortnightly frequency. Brown bins displaying a valid Garden Waste Permit will be emptied by the same crew and vehicle collecting food waste from households not participating in the Chargeable Garden Waste Collection Service.

Collections will occur every two weeks on the scheduled uplift day, except over the Christmas and New Year period where one collection date will be suspended. 

To check the waste and recycling collections your household is eligible for, or to view, print or download your collection calendar(s), please use the household bin collection date finder.

How many brown bins and permits can I have?

As per our Waste and Recycling Bin Policy, each eligible household may have up to two brown bins. View our policy for more information.

A permit is required for each bin being used for garden waste. Some households may choose to purchase one permit for a brown bin used for garden waste and retain a second brown bin without a permit for food waste only. If a brown bin contains garden waste but doesn't have a Garden Waste Permit, it will not be emptied.

When does the 2026/2027 service start?

The service starts on 1 April 2026. Collection crews will only empty brown bins containing garden waste if they display a valid Garden Waste Permit. Our Waste Services Team will post or email a reminder to households currently subscribed to the 2025/2026 service in January 2026 that the permit is due for renewal and with details of how to apply. The emails and letters will be sent in batches throughout January, so different areas of Perth and Kinross will receive the reminder at different times in January.

Service information and the permit payment system will be available online from Thursday 8 January 2026.

Brown bin service and ordering my permit(s)

Who can participate in the Chargeable Garden Waste Collection Service?

Not all householders in Perth and Kinross have access to the Food and Garden Waste Collection Service due to the costs associated with operating the service over such a large geographical area. The Chargeable Garden Waste Collection Service will only be available to households who currently receive a brown bin service, meaning only households who are currently in a four-bin collection service area (green, blue, grey and brown wheeled bins) will be eligible to participate in the Chargeable Garden Waste Collection Service. To check what waste and recycling collections your household is eligible for, please use our household bin collection date finder.
 

I don't currently have a brown bin. Can I request one?

To check the waste and recycling collections that your household receives and to see if you are eligible for a brown bin, please use our household bin collection date finder. If eligible, a brown bin can be ordered online via 'Request a domestic bin' or by telephoning our Customer Service Centre on 01738 476476.

If the brown bin is used for food waste only, then a permit is not required. If you would like to participate in the Chargeable Garden Waste Collection Service, please ensure you receive delivery of the brown bin before applying for your Garden Waste Permit. 

For more details about applying for a Garden Waste Permit, see 'How do I apply and pay for a permit for my home?'

Can I participate in the Chargeable Garden Waste Collection Service if I have an assisted lift?

If you are currently registered to receive an assisted lift for a brown bin and would like to participate in the Chargeable Garden Waste Collection Service, then you will need to buy a Garden Waste Permit.

If you currently receive an assisted lift for green and blue bins, but don't currently have a brown bin and would like to participate, you will need to order a brown bin online via 'Request a domestic bin' or by telephoning our Customer Service Centre on 01738 476476. 

You will also need to inform our Waste Services Team that you will require an assisted lift for your new brown bin by telephoning our Customer Service Centre on 01738 476476.

Please ensure you receive delivery of the brown bin before applying for your garden waste permit. 

You can continue to have an assisted lift of your brown bin for food waste only without purchasing a Garden Waste Permit.

You can find your collection calendars on the household bin collection date finder.

If you receive an assisted pink sack lift, we will not be able to assist you with a brown bin collection.

What happens to my brown bin if I don't opt into the service?

Should you not wish to buy a permit for the Chargeable Garden Waste Collection Service, you will still be required to retain your brown bin for food waste collections at the property - the brown bin belongs to your property and should not be removed.

Households with a surplus second brown bin can request its removal online via 'Request a domestic bin' or by telephoning our Customer Service Centre on 01738 476476. These bins will either be reused or recycled, depending on their condition.

How do I apply and pay for a permit for my home?

The annual charge per household for the collection of garden waste in 2026/2027 is £45 per bin. The permit will be valid from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027 and will be personalised to your home address. Permits will be available to purchase from Thursday 8 January 2026.

• You can easily apply and pay for your permit online using a debit or credit card.
• If you require assistance with your online application, you can call our Customer Service Centre on 01738 476476 where an advisor will help you. (You will need a credit or debit card).

How do I apply for a permit for a brown bin which isn't at my home?

Only domestically-rated properties are eligible for the Chargeable Garden Waste Collection Service. The table below details how to apply for a permit for a brown bin which isn't at your home.

Can I transfer a permit to a different property if I move home?

Each property that has applied for a Garden Waste Permit will be provided with a personalised permit that will be required to be fixed to the back of the brown bin. The personalised permit will detail the address of the property and will help the bin crew to identify who has paid for the Chargeable Garden Waste Collection Service. The permit will be non-transferable and will only be valid when presented at the address detailed on the permit.

Wheelie bins remain the property of Perth and Kinross Council and should not be removed from a property without authorisation from a Council Waste Services Officer.

Should you move into a property that already has a brown bin(s) with a valid garden waste permit, you can continue to use the bin for garden waste. Should your new address not have a valid permit and you wish to recycle your garden waste in the brown bin then you will be required to purchase a permit - see 'How do I apply and pay for a permit for my home?'

Please note that if you move into a property and inherit the previous occupant's garden waste, you can buy an annual Garden Waste Permit and present this waste on the first collection.  If you only intend to use your brown bin for food waste in the year ahead, you can:

• contact us (by emailing Recycle@pkc.gov.uk or telephoning 01738 476476) to request a one-off chargeable Bulky Uplift for the garden waste
• take the garden waste to any of our Recycling Centres for recycling free of charge (please note that if you are hiring a van or using a trailer, you will need a Recycling Centre Permits)

Are there any concessions or discounts?

No discounts or concessions are available for the Garden Waste Permit (such as to charities or means-tested households). Regardless of when the permit is purchased, the £45 annual charge will apply.
 

Problems ordering or receiving a permit

I've tried to apply for a permit but my address is not recognised.

If you've tried to apply for a permit but your address is not recognised, please first try to enter the postcode and then choose the address from the drop-down list. The system is sensitive to what is manually entered so the address may not appear exactly as you have typed it. If you continue to have problems with the address recognition, please contact our Customer Service Centre on 01738 476476 or email Recycle@pkc.gov.uk.

Please note: The permit details the address where the bin is used so that it is only valid when presented in this location. This prevents the bin from being stolen and used by someone else.

I have a brown bin but the system inaccurately says that I'm not on a garden waste route.

If you already have a brown bin, but the system will not allow you to buy a permit because it believes that you are not on a garden waste route, please contact our Customer Service Centre on 01738 476476 or email Recycle@pkc.gov.uk with details of your address. We will endeavour to update the system so that you are able to buy a Garden Waste Permit.

I haven't received my permit and it's been more than 21 days since I ordered it.

Please note: Once the payment has been processed, it will take up to 21 days to print the personalised permit for your bin and then post it to your home. When the payment has been received successfully, you will receive a confirmation email. If you've ordered your permit after the deadline of 1 March 2026, this confirmation email can be printed and attached with sticky tape temporarily to your bin as proof of payment so that you don't miss your next collection whilst waiting for your permit. 

If it has been more than 21 days since you ordered your permit and you received the email confirmation but you have still not received the permit through the post, please request a replacement permit online via 'Order a garden waste permit' or telephone our Customer Service Centre on 01738 476476.

Terms and conditions

How will my collection crew know I have paid for garden waste to be collected?

Once payment has been received, your permit will be posted out and needs to be attached to the back of your brown bin below the handles. Each permit will detail the property address for which the permit was purchased.

If you have ordered your permit(s) after the 1 March 2026 deadline, you can sticky tape the email receipt to the back of the bin as proof of payment for one collection - it takes up to 21 days for the permit to arrive in the post. 

Collection crews will only empty garden waste from brown bins which display a valid Garden Waste Permit. A permit is not required for brown bins containing only food waste.

What happens if I have paid for a permit and my brown bin collection is missed?

Missed collections will be dealt with as per our Waste and Recycling Bin Policy.

Collection errors or other conditions beyond our control can result in service disruption or missed collections. We shall not be liable to the customer for failure to perform the services, however in such circumstance we will aim to return to empty your bin within 48 hours from the original collection date, subject to the householder contacting us online via 'Report a missed bin' or by telephoning our Customer Service Centre on 01738 476476. The householder should leave their wheeled bin out at the kerbside for 48 hours after the time of normal collection and we will endeavour to return and empty the bin. If wheeled bins are not collected within this time, householders are advised to please return the bin(s) to their regular storage area and present them again on the next scheduled collection day for uplift, conditions permitting.

If the contents of wheeled bins are not uplifted due to waste being tightly lodged or frozen, the contents will not be collected until the next scheduled collection day. The householder must ensure that the waste is freed or dislodged before presenting again.

Can I buy a permit at any point throughout the year?

Householders wishing to participate in the Garden Waste Collection Service from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027 can purchase a permit up until Friday 11 December 2026. The one-off annual charge of £45 per permit will apply regardless of when in the year the permit is purchased; all permits will expire on 31 March 2027. Please be aware that it may take up to 21 days for a permit to be delivered.

Can I cancel my permit?

Permits can be cancelled within 14 days of purchase to receive a full refund; thereafter no refunds or part refunds will be given.

To exercise the right to cancel within the 14-day period, you must inform us of your decision to cancel the contract by means of a clear statement made either using the online cancellation process or by letter posted to Community Waste Team, Perth and Kinross Council, Pullar House, 35 Kinnoull Street, Perth, PH1 5GD before the cancellation period has expired.

If a permit has been issued prior to the cancellation notice request being received by us, the householder will be liable for the reasonable costs incurred in returning the permit to us. In this instance, a refund will be issued upon receipt of the returned permit.

Can I share a brown bin with my neighbour?

If you live in a block of flats and have a communal garden, or you want to share a brown bin with your neighbour(s) to recycle garden waste, then you will require a Garden Waste Permit. To share a brown bin, you would only be required to purchase one permit per bin, however you will have to come to a private agreement with your neighbour(s) regarding who will apply and make payment for the service. The address of the payee will be printed on the permit which will be attached to the brown bin.

Each property can have a maximum of two brown bins. Should you require an additional brown bin then you can order one online via 'Order a garden waste permit' or by telephoning our Customer Service Centre on 01738 476476.

What happens to collections over the festive period?

You view, download or print your bin collection calendars from our website. However, one brown bin collection is suspended over the festive period. Details of any changes to the festive uplift schedule will be available in December 2025 on our bins and recycling webpage. 

Contamination

What will happen to bins that contain garden waste presented without a permit?

Brown bins which contain garden waste, but which do not display a Garden Waste Permit will not be emptied. These bins will be tagged by collection crews and the householder who has presented the bin will be required to remove the garden waste and re-present with food waste only on the next scheduled collection day, to enable the bin to be emptied. Alternatively, the householder can buy a Garden Waste Permit which, once displayed on the bin, will enable it to be emptied.

How will I stop residents who have not paid for the service placing garden waste in my bin?

Householders are responsible for the waste and recycling that is contained in their bins and will be required to make arrangements to remove any contamination identified. Please store your bin securely between collections; a lock can be added to the bin to prevent unauthorised usage between collections. If you know that someone is disposing of their garden waste in your bin, you are encouraged to discuss the issue directly with them. However, if you do not feel comfortable advising them not to use your bin then you can contact our Waste Services Team via our Customer Service Centre on 01738 476476 or by emailing Recycle@pkc.gov.uk and a member of staff will investigate.

What happens if I present my brown bin containing the wrong material?

No materials, other than those specified by us, will be accepted in brown-lidded wheeled recycling bins. View our garden waste page to check which items are accepted or contact our Customer Service Centre on 01738 476476 to request a printed copy of the information.

We reserve the right not to empty wheeled bins that are:

• are suspected of containing incorrect materials
• are of excessive weight
• are in a dangerous condition
• may be detrimental to the health and safety of our staff.

It shall be solely for us to determine if any bin meets any of the above criteria.

Where wheeled recycling bins are contaminated, the Council will attach a bin hanger to the wheeled bin which will identify that the wheeled bin has not been collected due to contamination/incorrect presentation. 

Householders shall be responsible for the waste and recycling that is contained within the bins and will be required to make arrangements to remove any contamination identified.  If all contamination is removed, the wheeled bin will be emptied on the next scheduled collection day. 

Residents can request an uplift of contaminated brown bins by the Council; however, this will be a chargeable service and needs to be requested via the Customer Service Centre by emailing Recycle@pkc.gov.uk or telephoning 01738 476476.  

In the event of repeated contamination of wheeled recycling bins, the Council reserves the right to withdraw the recycling service by giving immediate written notice and arranging removal of the brown bin(s).  No refunds will be available for any collections missed while the service has been withdrawn.

Alternatives for recycling garden waste

What can I do with my garden waste if I choose not to buy a permit?

• Garden waste can be disposed of free of charge at any of our Recycling Centres. You can locate your nearest Recycling Centre using the 'find my nearest' search. Please note that the Recycling Centre can only be accessed by vehicle - not on a bicycle or on foot. 
• Grass can be cut and left as this will break down and fertilise the growing grass underneath. 
• Leaves can be gathered to make leaf mulch for using on the garden next year. 
• If you are generating other garden waste, you may want to try home composting.

If you pay a private contractor to undertake gardening work, you can request that they remove the garden waste. Please be aware that this may incur a charge.

Please note that fly-tipping is the illegal dumping of waste (including garden waste) and if found doing this you could be issued with a fixed penalty notice of up to £500. If the case goes to court, a person who is caught flytipping could be fined up to £40,000 and/or imprisonment for up to 12 months.

It is also an offense to dispose of domestic waste in a way likely to cause pollution of the environment or harm to human health. This would include the burning of waste that is likely to create excessive smoke or noxious fumes. Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, if smoke from the burning of domestic or household waste causes a nuisance to neighbouring properties and smoke is affecting their enjoyment of their property , such as if they cannot sit in their garden, put washing out or must keep windows closed, an abatement notice could be served requiring that the smoke nuisance is abated. Failure to comply with requirements of the notice can result in a fine of up to £5,000 upon summary conviction in the Sheriff Court together with a further fine of up to £500 for each day the nuisance continues. It is worth noting that anyone lighting a fire and allowing smoke to drift across a road also faces a fine if it endangers traffic or causes injuries.

I only use my brown bin for clearing up the Council's leaves or recycling the Council's grass cuttings

Please note that leaves can be bagged up (in black sacks with holes in) to make leaf mould for the garden for next year.

Similarly, grass cuttings can be left on the grass as a mulch, which feeds the lawn and especially helps the lawn in times of drought. 

Tree owners (such as the Council) are not required to clear fallen leaves from neighbouring properties. The responsibility sits with the persons onto whose property the leaves fall. Please note that if fallen leaves are returned to the property where the tree is sited, this can technically be classified as fly-tipping. However, broken/trimmed branches and fallen fruit can legally be returned to the tree owner.

Has there been any increase in fly-tipping since the permit was introduced?

We have not seen an increase in fly-tipping since the permits were introduced and householders are reminded that:

• fly-tipping is the illegal dumping of waste and if found doing so you could be issued with a fixed penalty fine of up to £500 or, if taken to court, a fine of up to £40,000 or imprisonment
• it is an offence to dispose of domestic waste in a way likely to cause pollution of the environment or harm to human health; in practice you should not burn waste that is likely to create excessive smoke or noxious fumes
• under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, if smoke from the burning of domestic or household waste causes a nuisance to neighbouring properties and smoke is affecting their enjoyment of their property, such as if they cannot sit in their garden, put washing out or must keep windows closed, an abatement notice could be served requiring that the smoke nuisance is abated; failure to comply with the requirements of the notice can result in a fine of up to £5,000 upon summary conviction in the Sheriff Court together with a further fine of up to £500 for each day the nuisance continues
• anyone lighting a fire and allowing smoke to drift across a road faces a fine if it endangers traffic or causes injuries

Have you spotted fly-tipping in your area? Fly-tipping is an environmental crime and you can report any issues in your area and track the response.