In September 2019 the BBC Shared Data Unit reported the claim that a "quiet green tax" was deterring gardeners from recycling their waste.
Analysis showed some UK councils were charging up to £100 a year for a kerbside collection, despite one in four councils providing a free service.
Critics said the service should be free to residents to reduce the amount of clippings being sent to landfill.
Councils said the service was not statutory and home composting was a cheaper alternative.
The BBC's Shared Data Unit looked at the annual subscription charges levied by local councils for regular kerbside garden waste collections. It found:
- More than 140 local authorities provided a free collection, but charges for other councils ranged from £18 to £96.
- The average annual charge was around £31, with higher costs levied in London and the South East.
This piece of content was produced by a regional newspaper reporter working alongside BBC staff.
The Shared Data Unit makes data journalism available to news organisations across the media industry, as part of a partnership between the BBC and the News Media Association. Stories generated by the partnership included:
- The Telegraph: Gardeners attack 'green tax' lottery, as figures show nearly two thirds of councils charge for garden waste collections 25 September 2019
- Daily Mail: Councils hit gardeners with 'quiet green tax' as they charge up to £100 a year to take clippings away 25 September 2019
- Sheffield: The Star: Sheffield garden waste collection charges among highest in country 25 September 2019
- Isle of Wight Radio: Cost Of Isle Of Wight Garden Waste Collection Double National Average 25 September 2019
- On The Wight: Isle of Wight garden waste collection higher than UK average 25 September 2019
- Isle of Wight County Press: Isle of Wight residents pay almost double the national average for garden waste collections 25 September 2019
- The Lochside Press: Argyll and Bute one of only a handful of councils not to collect garden waste 25 September 2019
- Deeside.com: How do garden waste collection charges in Flintshire compare with the rest of Wales 25 September 2019
- The Northern Echo: Councils in North-East charging up to £40 per year to collect garden waste 25 September 2019
- Darlington & Stockton Times: Councils in North-East charging up to £40 to collect garden waste 25 September 2019
- The Scarborough News: Above-average cost for garden waste collections in the Scarborough borough 25 September 2019
- Yorkshire Coast Radio: Garden Waste Charges Higher in Scarborough 25 September 2019
- Berkshire Live: The only Berkshire town with 'free' green waste collections revealed 25 September 2019
- Horticulture Week: Garden waste collection charges reach up to £100 a year 25 September 2019
- London: 853: Lewisham residents pay the most in London for garden waste collection 25 September 2019
- Lynn News: Garden waste charge in West Norfolk among highest in county, analysis shows 26 September 2019
- Bristol Post: Brown bin charges can be almost double depending on where you live 26 September 2019
- The Lancaster & Morecambe Citizen: East Lancashire council 'garden tax' figures revealed 26 September 2019
- Lancashire Post: ‘People need to do more to increase city recycling rate’ - Preston's recycling rates revealed as one of the worst in the North West 26 September 2019
- Lancashire Telegraph: East Lancashire council 'garden tax' figures revealed 26 September 2019
- East Anglian Daily Times: Revealed: The most expensive places in Suffolk to dispose of garden waste 26 September 2019
- Wales: The Leader: Data reveals what North Wales councils are charging for collecting garden waste 26 September 2019
- Spirit FM: West Sussex garden waste fees among UK's highest 26 September 2019
- Harborough Mail: Call for compensation if Harborough District Council barred from charging for green waste bin collections 26 September 2019
- The Reading Chronicle: No council charges more than Reading to get started with garden waste bin 26 September 2019
- Eagle Radio: Most expensive garden waste charges in Surrey and Hampshire 27 September 2019
- Watford Observer: Four Hertfordshire councils charge for garden waste collection 27 September 2019
- Midlothian Advertiser: Winners and losers amongst Scottish households for kerbside collections 27 September 2019
- The Scotsman: Winners and losers amongst Scottish households for kerbside collections 28 September 2019
- The Warwick Courier: Warwick district sees highest one-off charge for green bins in area 30 September 2019
- Isle of Wight Observer: Garden waste scheme to be extended soon 30 September 2019
- Stourbridge News: Dudley's charges for second garden waste bin among highest 1 October 2019
- Halesowen News: Dudley's charges for second garden waste bin among highest 1 October 2019
- Dudley News: Dudley's charges for second garden waste bin among highest 1 October 2019
- Surrey Live: Some Surrey households paying twice as much for green waste collections as neighbouring areas 9 October 2019
- South London Press & Mercury: Waste not, because it cost a lot: Householders face postcode lottery over fees for garden waste collections 11 October 2019
The story was also used by BBC Radio 2, BBC Midlands Today, BBC WM, BBC Hereford & Worcester, BBC Radio Cambridgeshire, BBC Radio Kent, BBC Radio Suffolk, BBC Radio Berkshire, BBC Surrey, BBC Sussex, BBC Three Counties Radio and BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine.