We are in the process of getting in touch with all residents who currently pay for our garden waste service for 2021/22.

If you currently pay for your garden waste subscription by Direct Debit you should have received a letter or email (please check junk mail) to make sure your payment and contact details are correct for the 2022/2023 renewal.

If your details are still the same and you wish to renew your subscription you don't need to do anything.

If you wish to make changes or cancel your subscription for garden waste, please follow the instructions in the email or letter.

If you normally pay by card or cheque you will be contacted in July with details of how to subscribe to the 2022/23 subscription period.

New subscribers can sign up for the garden waste collection service from July 2022. Keep an eye on our website for when the subscription period opens.

If you have any questions or need more information, please visit our website: www.westberks.gov.uk/gardenwaste

The results of the weekly food waste survey are now available to view online: www.westberks.gov.uk/WBCfoodwaste.

Thank you to everyone who took part in the survey!

We have taken what we learnt from your responses and, where possible, will use the relevant feedback to improve how the new service can be delivered when we launch it in Autumn 2022.

We have launched educational visits for primary schools within West Berkshire.

We have an officer available to provide a classroom session on the topic of 'reduce, reuse and recycle' and we also have educational books for primary school aged children.

If you would like any more information about these sessions including booking us in for the new school year please email: recycle@westberks.gov.uk

We are delighted at the success of our first ever soil conditioner give-away at our Integrated Waste Management Facility at Padworth, which saw 25 tonnes of soil conditioner collected by West Berkshire Council residents on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 May 2022.

We'd like to thank residents for patiently waiting for their turn as we saw long queues on Saturday due to high demand for the material, which is a fine grade, peat free soil conditioner, made from garden and food waste collected from households across West Berkshire.

We are also grateful to our partners Veolia UK for working with us to make this happen.

After a successful launch in 2021, Veolia’s Sustainability Fund is back this year and offering up to £1,000 worth of funding to innovative project ideas to transform local communities across the UK!

Veolia’s Sustainability Fund will support inspirational ideas that aim to make a positive change towards their local communities. The purpose of the fund is to support non-profit organisations, community groups or individuals that help transform their local community through enhancing biodiversity, promoting sustainable waste behaviours, protecting or preserving resources and the environment, or using recycled, reused or reclaimed materials.

Projects can apply from 16 May until 4 November 2022, online: veolia.co.uk/sustainability-fund.

Join millions of people reducing their plastic waste.

Plastic Free July^® is a global movement that helps millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution – so we can have cleaner streets, oceans, and beautiful communities. Will you be part of Plastic Free July by choosing to refuse single-use plastics?

More information is available here: www.plasticfreejuly.org.