What’s happening with Shropshire's green waste?

More than 45,000 people have signed up for Shropshire Council’s green waste collections as the authority starts charging for a service that used to be free.

The council’s deputy leader, Ian Nellins, said subscriptions so far had already raised £2.5m.

The 45,000 registrations so far was more than he had expected, he said, adding: "That’s within the first two weeks - so a good uptake.”

The scheme, which comes into force on 1 October, had met with opposition and a petition, signed by nearly 2,000 people, calling for the £56 annual charge per household to be scrapped.

On BBC Shropshire, Mr Nellins answered a series of questions sent in by listeners.

Food waste goes in the black bin and garden waste in the green bin under the scheme

Why is the council introducing the charge?

“Everybody knows that all local authorities are having issues with finances. Shropshire Council is one of very few local authorities who haven’t been charging as yet," Mr Nellins said. In some areas, people have paid more than £100. The £56 charge is the average, he added. Garden waste is not a statutory provision, or a service that it must do, and so the council can charge for it.

What area does it cover?

The new charge covers the Shropshire Council area. Telford & Wrekin Council’s green waste service is still free.

Why is the charge being brought in now?

Shropshire Council has been discussing this for “quite a period of time”, Mr Nellins said. He said the authority would have liked to have done this sooner, but consultation and legal processes took time. “We would have done it earlier, but we can’t afford to wait any longer,” he said.

How much money will the council make from selling the garden waste for fertiliser?

Shropshire Council will not make any money from garden waste being sold for fertiliser, Mr Nellins said, because the authority is paying for the Veolia collections. He said: “It becomes their product, so Shropshire Council doesn’t make anything from that fertiliser.”

Why can’t food waste go in the green bin any longer?

The authority is not allowed to charge to collect food waste. In 2026, the authority expects to provide weekly food waste collections, but until then people should minimise food waste and put food waste in their black bins.

What if people don’t have space for a garden bin?

People can buy rolls of sacks, which can also be shared with neighbours.

Can people share bins?

People are allowed to share bins if they want to, as long as somebody signs up for collections.

Are the stickers being sent out now?

Stickers are being sent out now for the new paid-for service. The company providing them has been surprised that there are so many so it “could be a little bit slow”, Mr Nellins said.

What if stickers get stolen?

The stickers are designed to shred if people try to take them off. They also contain a QR code and address showing where the bin is kept. If a sticker is stolen, replacements are available.

Can people sign up by phone?

The company running the scheme MiPermit have got a phone number, 0345 520 7007. The council said some people have been frustrated after having to wait, but others said it hadn’t taken that long. The preferred option is for people to sign up online.

Where can I find more information?

More information about the service is available on Shropshire Council's website.