Accepted

• Grass cuttings
• Shrub cuttings
• Plant cuttings
• Flower cuttings
• Weeds
• Roots
• Leaves
• Branches (up to 10cm/4in diameter only)
• Herbivorous pet bedding i.e. Rabbit, Guinea Pigs

Rejected

• Cardboard
• Paper
• Food waste
• Cat litter and dog waste
• Japanese Knotweed
• Soil
• Rubble
• Plastics e.g. plant pots
• Glass

Green Waste Contaminants

Cardboard, Shredded Paper and Brown Envelopes

We can no longer accept any of the above in the green waste bin. Please ensure that you place these materials into the mixed recycling bin. Shredded Paper should be placed in a plastic bag first and then placed into the mixed recycling bin.

Wrapping paper/greetings cards

Items such as glitter, staples,etc do not break down in the composting process, and end up as contaminants in the compost or soil conditioner. Foil wrapping paper, also does not readily decompose, and therefore cannot be composted, in our current system. Both of these types of items should therefore be re-used where possible, or if not re-used, then placed in your landfill bin.

Plastic bags including biodegradable and compostable bags

All the waste placed in the bin for green waste must be placed directly in the bin or put in paper bags. Plastic bags will not compost down and will therefore contaminate the whole lorry load of green waste.

We cannot accept biodegradable bags as they do not breakdown quick enough for the composting process and there is no way of identifying a biodegradable bag from a normal bag.

We are also unable to accept compostable bags as we have no way of identifying them and they also create a litter problem at Isfield.

Carrier bags are now being recycled by Sainsbury’s, Tesco and some of the other main supermarkets. You can also recycle thin plastic film at these supermarkets as well (check with your local store).

Biodegradable bags can be used to bag up your landfill waste.

Compostable bags can be used in your home compost bin.

Fruit and vegetables

Due to changes to UK legislation under the “Animal By-Products Regulation” following the foot and mouth epidemic fruit, vegetable peelings, tea bags and coffee grounds can no longer be placed in the bin for green waste.

The new regulations state that there may be a small risk that, for example, a potato peeling in someone’s kitchen may come in contact with a piece of meat that may be infected with a disease such as foot and mouth. That piece of potato peeling if then placed into the bin for green waste will then subsequently be taken to the composting site at Isfield to be composted in the open. A bird or animal could then easily spread the disease from the composting site.

Fruit and vegetable peelings can be placed in your home compost bin.

Cooked food waste

The composting site at Isfield is currently unable to accept cooked food waste (including meat, fish and bones) as they currently compost in open windrows. Cooked food can only be accepted if it was being composted in an enclosed building or by “in-vessel” composting. Cooked food can be home composted in a green cone food digester. which can then be placed in to a standard compost bin.

Dog or cat litter

Dog and cat litter is not compostable at Isfield, as they are not vegetarian animals. We could only accept dog and cat litter if it was being composted by “in-vessel” composting. Dog and cat litter can be home composted in a green cone food digester.

Plant pots

Plant pots will not compost down and will therefore contaminate the whole lorry load of green waste. There are currently no options available for recycling plant pots.

Japanese Knotweed and Giant Hogweed

We are unable to take Japanese Knotweed and Giant Hogweed for composting. With all other weeds the composting process reaches such a high temperature that it kills the weed and any seeds. But the Japanese Knotweed and Giant Hogweed is not killed off by the process and therefore can leave it’s seeds in the compost to reproduce. There are currently no options available for composting Japanese Knotweed and Giant Hogweed.

For more information on Japanese Knotweed and Giant Hogweed please visit gov.uk’s pages on stopping invasive non-native plants from spreading