Sandwell Council considers charging for collecting garden waste

People will continue to be able to dispose of garden waste for free at household recycling centres in Sandwell

People living in Sandwell may have to pay for garden waste collections from next year.

Councillors will consider at a meeting on Tuesday whether to charge £35 a year from 2023.

Currently, a significant number of households do not use the service and many bins that are put out are half empty, Sandwell Council said.

By collecting only from residents who want the service, carbon emissions would be reduced, a spokesperson said.

Introducing a subscription service would bring the council in line with two-thirds of local authorities across England that already charge.

Councillor Zahoor Ahmed, cabinet member for environment services, said: "Introducing charges for garden waste collections would make the service more efficient and reduce carbon emissions.

"At the moment, we are sending 26-tonne diesel trucks down every street in the borough to collect bins that are typically less than half full."

Free disposal of garden waste will continue to be available at household waste recycling centres in the borough.