How to sign up for additional green bin collections

Free weekly green bin collections continue in Milton Keynes, but residents who want to use a second (or third) green bin for food and garden waste after 12 May will need to opt-in to an annual paid subscription service.   

An estimated 40% of UK councils charge residents to collect their first garden waste bin.  Many of these are collected fortnightly. It’s how garden waste is managed in nearby Buckinghamshire, where residents pay £59 per year per fortnightly green bin collection and in Bedfordshire where residents pay £56.10. 

 In Milton Keynes, each household’s first green bin will remain free, and all green bins will continue to be collected weekly. Additional bins will cost £55 per year each, which will help offset the costs of the additional waste collections.  

The first annual subscription will start on 12 May 2025, and residents can subscribe for up to two additional bins at https://tinyurl.com/request-green-bin-subscription from 31 March. 

Subscribers will receive a permit sticker from the city council for each additional green bin. Additional green bins without the sticker will not be collected after 12 May. Residents with excess food and garden waste who are unable to compost it can still take it to their local recycling centre for free. 

 “Most local people have just one green bin, and right now they’re subsidising multiple collections from other properties, some of which have gardens no bigger than their own. Introducing subscriptions for second and third green bins helps us offset costs so we can continue committing to weekly recycling and waste collections for everyone.   

“The charge has been set to be less than those in neighbouring authorities, and of course unlike those we will continue to collect each home’s first green bin every week for free.” 

- Cabinet Member for Waste and Recycling, Cllr Jennifer Wilson-Marklew

In the coming weeks, the city council will be sharing details of the scheme with households who currently use multiple green bins.