Why can’t I put food/kitchen waste in my bin?
The material we collect is taken to a network of local farms for composting. To minimise the risk of diseases such as BSE and Foot and Mouth there are very strict rules about the types of waste that can be composted and used on farms.
These rules say that any meat or food that could have come into contact with meat must be treated in a special way under very high temperatures which aren’t reached by our composting sites.
Please be responsible and only put the right green waste into the bin.
When is my waste collected?
View our collection calendar. This tells you which day of the week you'll have your waste collected.
Can I get help with my collections?
If you have difficulty putting your waste out for collection because of your age, a disability or illness we may be able to help. Please contact us on 01757 705101 or email info@selby.gov.uk
Can I have an additional green bin?
There is a charge for additional green bins which can be provided at a cost of up to £26 per year depending on when you receive the bin. The charges are pro-rata as follows:
• April start date - £26
• May start date - £24
• June start date - £22
• July start date - £20
• August start date - £18
• September start date - £16
• October start date - £13
• November start date - £11
• December start date - £9
• January start date - £7
• February start date - £5
• March start date - £3
You'll need to contact us to set up a contract and arrange payment. Please call us on (01757) 705101.
What happens if my green waste isn't collected?
Each week we make collections from over 37,000 properties.
To help ensure that your green waste bin is collected please:
- Put your bin out for collection by 7am on your collection day
- Put your bin out at the kerbside and make sure that it is clearly visible e.g. not behind gates or walls
- Only put items in your bin that you're supposed to.
If your bin hasn't been collected please let us know by completing this form.
What happens to the green waste when it’s been collected?
The green waste we collect is taken to a network of farms and other sites. Within the Selby district we have Maltings Organics in Sherburn in Elmet and Friendship Estates in Walden Stubbs. Just over the border in York we also use M & DI Kemp and Sons in Melbourne and Yorwaste at Rufforth.
The collection vehicles take the waste directly to the closest site to reduce vehicle mileage and emissions. There, the material is shredded, composted and spread back on to local farmland as a soil improver. You could be eating carrots grown in fields where the soil improver has been made from grass cuttings from your garden!
Watch this for more information about how the composing process works.
Can I compost at home?
Yes. Home composting is a great way to produce free compost for your garden and reduce your waste at the same time.
Did you know that more than 60% of the contents of the average rubbish bin is biodegradable and over a third can be easily composted at home? This includes fruit and vegetable peelings, garden waste, tea bags, coffee grounds, cardboard and paper.
If biodegradable waste is sent to landfill, it rots down producing the powerful greenhouse gas, methane. Methane is 21 times more damaging than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas. In the UK, 20% of methane production comes from landfill. Reducing biodegradable waste going to landfill will reduce the amount of methane produced, helping to reduce damage to the environment.