Recycling & Sustainability — Gardening Services Camden

Gardening Services Camden is committed to creating an eco-friendly waste disposal area across all green spaces we tend. Our sustainability policy for Camden gardening recycling emphasises practical steps: reduce, segregate and reuse on-site where possible, then transfer remaining materials to authorised local facilities. We work with borough principles for waste separation and tailor site operations to match the local approach, ensuring that each job contributes to a greener Camden.

We recognise the borough's approach to waste separation and apply it in every job. Garden waste, food waste, paper and card, glass and mixed recyclables are kept separate during collection and processing. Small-scale composting, mulching and soil reuse are core parts of our sustainable rubbish gardening area practice, and we actively promote reuse of potted plants and salvaged materials to reduce landfill. Segregation at source is the first and most effective step in cutting carbon from garden clearance.

Our measurable ambition includes a public recycling percentage target: we aim for a 65% recycling and reuse rate by 2028, with an interim goal of 50% within the next 12 months. Key actions include:

• On-site segregation of green, wood, soil and mixed recyclables;
• Priority reuse or donation of salvageable items to local charities;
• Transporting residuals only to certified transfer stations and MRFs.

This transparent target keeps our Camden sustainable gardening efforts accountable and measurable.

Local transfer stations and authorised facilities

We partner with nearby authorised transfer stations and civic amenity sites to ensure materials enter the correct processing streams. Examples of nearby North London transfer facilities we use include borough transfer stations and civic sites serving Camden and adjacent boroughs (including transfer options in Barnet and Islington). Materials are routed to specialist receiving facilities such as composting sites, wood processors and materials recovery facilities (MRFs) so nothing recyclable is sent to landfill unnecessarily.

Partnerships with charities and community projects are central to our reuse strategy. We collaborate with local non-profits to donate salvageable planters, tools and soil conditioners. Strong relationships with community gardens and food-growing initiatives ensure that usable compost and plants are given new life in community spaces rather than being discarded. These charity partnerships help create a circular economy within Camden and surrounding neighbourhoods.

Our fleet strategy supports an integrated low-carbon approach: we run a growing number of low-carbon vans and efficient smaller electric vehicles for short urban hops, with route optimisation software to reduce mileage. For heavier loads we use low-emission vehicles that meet London emission standards. Combined with load consolidation and planned returns to transfer stations, this approach significantly cuts the carbon footprint of gardening waste collections and sustainable rubbish gardening area activities.

Sustainable rubbish gardening area practices

On-site sustainable rubbish gardening areas are designed to maximise reuse and recycling. Typical recycling activity relevant to the borough includes segregating:

• Garden waste (grass, leaves and prunings) for compost or anaerobic digestion;
• Wood and timber for chipping and reuse;
• Topsoil and stone for reuse or remediation;
• Paper, card and containers sent to MRFs with the borough’s mixed recycling stream.

These activities match Camden's waste separation principles and help maintain high recovery rates.

After collection, materials follow mapped processing routes: green waste to certified composting facilities, wood to wood recyclers, and mixed recyclables to MRFs that separate glass, paper and metals. Where permitted we also turn green waste into mulch and soil improver on-site so the benefits return directly to the properties we service. This reduces transport and supports a local circular economy.

Progress towards our recycling percentage target is monitored through job-level reporting and quarterly audits. We use tracking systems to record volumes of green waste diverted, items donated, and materials sent to transfer stations. Reporting supports continuous improvement and helps us demonstrate how Camden gardening recycling contributes to borough-wide waste reduction targets.

Community engagement and charity partnerships are vital. We run donation drives with local charities for salvageable garden furniture, plant stock and pots, and we support community compost hubs that accept diverted green waste. Working with voluntary groups reduces the need for disposal and channels valuable resources to local causes.

Employee training ensures every crew understands correct segregation and the environmental reasoning behind it. Staff are trained to identify salvageable items, to operate composting setups safely, and to prioritise low-carbon transit options. Procurement focuses on sustainable materials and reuse-first purchasing, reinforcing the sustainable gardening Camden ethos in every aspect of our work.

In summary, our Recycling and Sustainability page reflects a clear, measurable commitment to an eco-friendly waste disposal area and a robust sustainable rubbish gardening area. By combining on-site segregation, local transfer station partnerships, charities for reuse, and a modern low-carbon van fleet, we are building a resilient service model that supports the borough’s waste separation approaches and delivers tangible reductions in landfill and emissions. Together these measures help create greener streets, better soils and a more sustainable Camden.