Where to Tip Woodchip and Logs: A UK Guide for Tree Surgeons (2026)

Where Can Tree Surgeons Tip Woodchip and Logs?

Usually one of four places: a farm, yard or landowner that takes chip or logs; someone who wants chip, such as a gardener, allotment or stable; a green waste or composting site that takes trade loads; or the job itself, if the client wants the chip or logs. Ring before you go: some sites take chip but not logs, or only on certain days. And if the chip or logs are waste when they leave the job, the waste rules apply to you, whether you pay to tip, tip free or get paid (waste rules in our licence guide).

On TreeBay:

• the tip-site directory, where farms, yards and landowners list the chip and logs they take. It's free to search by town or postcode, on a list or a map: each site says whether it takes chip, logs or both, and you can filter by sites that are free, that charge, or that pay you. It's new, so it may not have a site near you yet;
• the Woodchip wanted board on the forum, where anyone can ask for chip or offer a load.

Farms, Yards and Landowners

Some farms, equestrian yards, estates and landowners take woodchip, for example for tracks, paths or mulch, and some take logs too. A regular drop close to where you work saves driving time on every job.

When you find one, agree the basics before the first load, and write them down:

• what they take: chip, logs or both, and anything they won't (some won't take certain species, brash or stumps);
• whether it's free, you pay to tip, or they pay you, and how much;
• when you can come, and how a tipper or chipper gets in and turns round;
• if the chip or logs are waste: a transfer note (one note can cover a year of regular loads) and proof of their waste exemption or permit (below).

People Who Want Woodchip

Gardeners, allotments, stables and smallholders often want chip, for paths, mulch or bedding. Post in Woodchip wanted with:

• your town or postcode district, not your full address or phone number;
• how much you have and when;
• what's in it (for example mixed species, or leaf in it).

Anyone who wants chip can post there too, so check it before you drive to a tip.

Green Waste and Composting Sites

Commercial green waste and composting sites take trade loads, usually for a fee by the load or the tonne. Council household recycling centres are usually for household waste only, and arisings from a job are your waste, not your client's: the code of practice says a tradesperson working on a property is "responsible for the waste they produce including its transport and disposal" (GOV.UK). So check your council's rules before you take a work load there.

Leaving It on the Job

If the client wants the chip for their beds or paths, or the logs for their own fire, leaving them is often the simplest answer: agree it in the quote. Wood that's definitely going to be used is different from waste: the Environment Agency says "virgin wood is not classed as waste" (GOV.UK).

Logs Aren't Chip

Some sites that take chip won't take logs or big rounds, so say what you have when you ring. Logs can also be sold: list them in Logs, Timber & Firewood. In England, you can only sell or supply wood fuel in amounts under 2 cubic metres if it's certified Ready to Burn (20% moisture or less). For 2 cubic metres or more, you must give the buyer the government's notice on drying and storing it (GOV.UK).

The Paperwork When Waste Changes Hands

Arisings you take away to get rid of are usually waste, so:

• Registration: a business that transports waste, including its own, must register as a waste carrier. For your own arisings that's usually free (GOV.UK; Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own registers, linked in our licence guide).
• A note for each transfer: when you pass waste to someone else, a written description of the waste must be agreed and signed by you and them: names and addresses, the time and place, and the waste's quantity and nature. Keep a copy for 2 years for non-hazardous waste (GOV.UK: waste duty of care code of practice). For regular loads of the same waste, one note (a "season ticket") can cover up to a year.
• Check the site can take it: a farm, yard or green waste site that takes waste needs a registered waste exemption or an environmental permit. Ask for proof and check it: in England, on the Environment Agency's public register; Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own (Natural Resources Wales, SEPA, NIEA). If you think a site isn't allowed to take it, don't tip there (code of practice).

FAQ

Can I tip woodchip for free?

It depends on the site: some take chip free, a few pay for it, and others charge, so ask before you go. The tip-site directory shows each listed site's terms, and you can offer a load on the Woodchip wanted board. If the chip is waste, the waste rules apply whether you pay, tip free or get paid.

Is woodchip from tree work waste?

It can be. Arisings you take away to get rid of are usually waste; chip someone has asked for and will definitely use, for example as mulch or bedding, isn't. If you're not sure, register anyway: for your own arisings it's usually free. Our licence guide explains the difference and links the official guidance.

Do I need a waste carrier licence to take chip to a tip?

It's a registration, not a licence. In England, if your business transports waste, including your own, you need to register; for your own arisings that's usually free. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own registers (links in our licence guide).