Getting rid of garden waste

1jacks64

I have cut some connifers in my garden and the problem I have is what to do with the cuttings. I went to my local authority refuse centre and the guy there started moaning saying that I need to cut them smaller and put them in bags as the bits that he alleges fall off as I go up the steps to put them in the container could cause someone else to trip up and I could be sued by the person who trips up.

I have in the past set them on fire but then the neighbors complain about that. The only other option is to dump the cuttings but that is illegal so I am not going to do that.

So does anyone have any suggestions as to what I should do with my cuttings as the council tip complain, the neighbours complain if I set them on fire and I cannot dump the cutting as that is illegal. Is it best if I do not bother to cut the trees at all and just let them go out of control ?

Please discuss ?

cyclonebri1

If the guys at our amenity site complained I would simply dump them and leave.

I don't understand what you are saying, you go to the skip, and it's an assumption, in a car or with a trailer?
Anything you have in there will go straight into the standard 35 tonne skips they have at the ready, what's their problem?

Maybe it's because most of these sites are run by private entities, and are !!!! shy lazy

System

Hire a chipper and bag it all to take to the tip?

penguingirl

We cut down 11 lleylandi and had no problems taking them our local tip (other than the difficulty of making a lot of tip runs)- does it say anything on their website/ if you ring up about how trees should be disposed of, regulations about size etc? I would ring up and whinge. The alternative is to hire a skip.

cyclonebri1

!!!!!! wrote: »

Hire a chipper and bag it all to take to the tip?

If you are going to the trouble and expense of hiring a chipper then it is best to use the chippings produced.

Just as effective as bark chipping and can be composted too.

1jacks64

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

If the guys at our amenity site complained I would simply dump them and leave.

I don't understand what you are saying, you go to the skip, and it's an assumption, in a car or with a trailer?
Anything you have in there will go straight into the standard 35 tonne skips they have at the ready, what's their problem?

Maybe it's because most of these sites are run by private entities, and are !!!! shy lazy

I think you are absolutely right. I went to the tip today with the back of my Citroen AX full of connifer branches. I opened the boot and started to load them into the container. I filled both hands with as many as I could carry and took them upto the container which my car was parked next to. I then went back to my car for some more and the bloke comes over and says "This needs to be cut in half and put into bags. You have just lopped these big branches and brough them here like this. When you carry them up the steps to the container any bits that have come off and fallen on the floor could cause people to trip up and it would be YOU who would get sued."

I have no idea why he walked up to me and said this when I never asked him for his opinion. I never even asked him for any help. Surely if someone was going to sue me it would be between me and the person suing me and none of his business. He isn't a lawyer either.

And yes the sign outside the tip says it is run by a private contractor and it is in the Hampshire County Council area. But it seems pretty ridiculous. It is as though I am supposed to wrap up all me garden waste as though it is a birthday present and sing happy bithday to Hampshire County Council.:rotfl:

ic

Just a jobsworth - his job is to keep the site safe, if he sees bits he should be sweeping them up. It winds me up that people make the effort to recycle, yet its not good enough. I see so many people that still turn up at the tip and just lob everything they have (wood, metal, carpet, etc) into the none-recyclable waste container. They are the people that should be getting shouted at.

Leif

You can buy a shredder for about £140, Bosch are decent, blades are fairly cheap, and the chippings make good mulch. Or you could create a wood pile, to encourage beetles etc for wildlife. Or pile up the chippings, and they will rot down into a form of compost, although it takes a few years. Any large branches can be seasoned and then burnt in a stove or open fire. Neighbours with a stove may well jump at the chance to take the waste. I took loads of branches from my neighbour, and someone else took a fallen (small) tree from him.

I do agree with the jobsworth comments. Why not write to the council and ask them for clarification.

cyclonebri1

I agree in principle, the chippings are very useful, but I have a large garden and a 10 hp shredder but I still have the need to take fruit tree loppings and stuff over 70mm dia to the LA yard.

I'm quite fortunate as when the council were wheeling out the latest burgundy recycling bins they left an extra 1 in front of my house, I "claimed" it.
I stuff that with all the green stuff I can't either shred or compost and put the whole bin in the rear of the est car and off to the skip, very handy for that.

Oh we do have a green bin but that gets filled for every collection anyway.

Since the LA will shread and compost this on an industrial scale anyway, I have a clear conscience. ;)

j0nnyboy69

I got a tree company to come and pick it up. I think they could sell it on for something so they picked it up for free.

Or many trips to the tip.

WestonDave

Take it to the dump as it is - stick a brush (and possibly a dustpan) in the car and sweep up the bits. If you resolve the problem they can't moan! (Albeit they should probably be sweeping it up)

Our tip always has a couple of brushes and a shovel hanging around with a big sign that says "Clear up after yourself". Mind you our staff are usually pretty helpful - if you turn up with with one of those big aggregates bags (the white ones that builders have stuff delivered in) they will help you tip it into the container. They do also periodically sweep up.