5 Surprising Things You Can Put In Your Garden Waste Bin

Garden waste bins are perfect for the disposing of organic matter and materials – think grass cuttings, hedge trimmings, leaves, weeds and flowers.

But did you know there’s an array of more unusual household items you can compost?

Read on for five unexpected things you can pop in your garden waste bins – as well as one surprising item you can’t…

Herbs and herbaceous houseplants

Geshas

If you’re one of those people who buys supermarket herbs only to use half and see the rest wilt and die – don’t worry.

You can add unpotted mint and basil to bins, along with any houseplants that have also failed to thrive.

Pet or human hair

Do you like to partake in a bit of home hairdressing but don’t know what to do with the trimmings?

Fear not – you can add nitrogen-rich, organic off cuttings to your garden waste where they’ll break down slowly, feeding soil microbes in the process. But just note, it’s always best to check with your local council for more information on this.

Wooden plant labels or seedling trays

If made from untreated wood – not painted, varnished or coated in plastic – these can be broken down and added to your garden waste bin.

Natural cork

Owen Franken//Getty Images

As long as the cork from your wine bottle is 100% natural, this can be recycled too.

Natural cork will typically have small, uneven holes or grain patterns, feel spongy and slightly rough and spring back into shape if you compress it.

Sawdust and wood shavings

Got a DIY project on the go? Add sawdust and shavings from untreated, unpainted wood to your waste bin – where it will be an excellent carbon-rich material for composting.

One thing you shouldn’t put in garden waste bins Soil

Anderson Coelho

This ubiquitous garden material is not considered ‘green waste’ as it contains very little organic matter and doesn’t decompose as other plants do.

“It’s one of the most common mistakes we see,” a representative from My Home Improvements recently told The Mirror. “Soil might look natural, but it causes major issues for councils trying to turn garden waste into compost. Even a little bit can ruin a whole batch.

“Garden bins are not a catch-all for anything green. What feels natural to toss may be harmful to the environment, your community, or the composting process.”

What’s more, from 2026 the Labour government will be introducing a £400 fine for people introducing soil into their garden waste bins. Avoid this by shaking soil off plant roots before binning them (you can reuse soil by mixing it with compost), using a soil sieve or cut off roots completely with secateurs, shears or a trowel.

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