Sizzling summer sees garden waste collections soar

Gardeners across Lewes district have been toiling during the country’s hottest ever summer with garden waste collections nearly tripling over the last four months, compared to 2017.

As the mercury soared, so did the weight of garden waste collected and recycled by Lewes District Council. From May to August this year a massive 736 tonnes was collected from homes using the council’s garden waste service, compared to 249 tonnes during this period the previous year.

All of it was composted locally in Newhaven and sold locally.

Councillor Paul Franklin, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Waste & Recycling, said: “Our long, super-hot summer has brought gardeners out in droves, ensuring they have pleasant outdoor spaces to enjoy the sunshine.

“It’s fantastic that so many of these people are now using our garden waste service to dispose of their cuttings and trimmings, not only because brown bins are an easy way to get rid of this kind of debris but also because all the waste is recycled to produce locally-used compost. It really is the green way of gardening.”

A total of 4,417 homes have signed up to the council’s garden waste service since it began in 2015. The service costs £70 per year per household with customers able to opt-in at any time. People also have the options of sharing a bin with their neighbour and paying in instalments.

For more information visit www.lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk/gardenwaste

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