In response, Guernsey Waste Operations Manager, Rachel Lowe, said: “We will shortly be providing new guidance for gardening companies, to try and ensure any tree root sections they deliver to Mont Cuet are suitable for composting.
“If they are too large and still have a lot of soil and stones attached to them, we are unable to process them so they require disposal, which will incur a higher charge.
“The problem with oversized root sections is two-fold. Firstly, the initial stage of green waste processing is to shred the material.
“Any stones or other hard objects attached to the roots will cause additional wear and tear or damage to the shredding machine, which reduces the life of that equipment.
“Secondly, to produce a high quality compost requires a good mix of materials.
“Putting through a large tree section, which can easily weigh more than two tonnes, will result in too high a proportion of woody material, and reduce the quality of the end product.
“If processed in smaller sections, they can be more easily mixed in with other green waste.”