Types of rubbish and recycling bins

Types of household and communal bins, bags and boxes in the Barrow, Eden and South Lakeland area and what to put in them.

Garden waste bins

We introduced a garden waste subscription service on 1 April 2026. This means that if you want us to remove your garden waste, you’ll need to buy a subscription. 

You can find out how to pay for a subscription and our terms and conditions in our information about our garden waste subscription service.

The following information is for people who have subscriptions for their garden waste.

What you can put in your green waste bin

We can take:

  • leaves, grass cuttings and hedge trimmings 
  • flowers, plants and weeds (non-invasive species only) 
  • branches under 10cm in diameter
  • straw or sawdust from vegetarian household pets
  • real Christmas trees – if they’re small 

What we cannot accept in your green waste bin

We cannot collect:

  • soil, turf and compost 
  • stones
  • invasive species (such as Japanese Knotweed or Ragwort)
  • plastic, metal and glass 
  • branches over 10cm in diameter
  • treated wood 
  • bedding from non-vegetarian pets 
  • food waste, such as vegetable peelings or used tea bags – you may be able to compost some of this material
  • large Christmas trees
  • paper and cardboard 
  • trade waste for recycling or disposal - there's a different process for trade waste recycling

How to compost at home

There are lots of good reasons to compost, such as:

  • improving your soil 
  • saving money and resources 
  • reducing your impact on the environment

The following organisations can help you get started: