More than 37,000 subscriptions have been purchased for Braintree Council’s paid garden waste service since it launched in March 2024.
The scheme allows residents to dispose of grass cuttings, weeds, dead plants, hedge clippings, and other green waste, which is then sent to a nearby facility for windrow composting.
As of the 2025-26 service year, 37,388 subscriptions had been purchased.
Tom Cunningham, councillor responsible for transformation, the environment, and customer services and deputy leader at Braintree Council, said: “We are very satisfied with the success of the garden waste subscription service, and delighted that we have been able to keep the costs stable during a time of increased financial pressure on households.
“It is really encouraging that so many of our residents choose to dispose of their garden waste responsibly.
“If you haven’t signed up yet, we would encourage doing so online – it’s easy and quick, and your subscription will be automatically renewed next year.”
The strong uptake has allowed the council to freeze the annual subscription fee for a second year, keeping it at £55 for fortnightly collections throughout the year, except over Christmas and New Year.
Residents with larger gardens can purchase extra bins for £37.25 each, plus a £30 subscription fee per additional bin.
Properties unsuitable for bin collections can use compostable sacks, sold in rolls of 20 for £8, which covers delivery and collection.
All current subscribers who signed up online and did not opt out of auto-renewal will have their payments taken automatically and their subscriptions renewed in early March.
Those who subscribed by phone or in person will need to renew manually, either online or by phone, to continue receiving the service beyond March 31, 2026.
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