Recycling at Christmas

Collection day changes over the festive period

From Tuesday 26 December 2023, collections will be one day later than usual. Collections will resume as normal from Tuesday 2 January 2024.

Garden waste and bulky waste collections

Garden and bulky waste collections will be suspended from Monday 25 December 2023 and will resume on Tuesday 9 January 2024.

Christmas tree recycling

We will collect real, bare Christmas trees (free from decorations, lights and pots) on your green/brown bin day between Tuesday 9 January 2024 and Friday 16 February 2024. If you live in a flat, or want to recycle your real tree sooner, you can take it to one of our collection points located across the city. These will be open after Christmas. They will be shredded and turned into compost for local farmland. You do not need to have a garden waste subscription to recycle your Christmas tree. Check our our map below for a full list of locations.

Artificial trees

Artifical tree can’t be recycled but they can be reused - save your tree for next year or donate it to a local charity shop. If you have an artificial tree that it can't be reused again, drop it off to a local recycling centre.

Festive food waste

Did you know that roughly 6.6 million tonnes of food goes to waste every year from UK households? Reduce your food waste and save yourself money this Christmas.

1. Make a shopping list and stick to it: it may sound obvious, but planning your Christmas shopping list based on what you actually need and sticking to it can be a game-changer. It is a great way to stay disciplined when you’re in the supermarket and continually faced with tempting festive treats!
2. Get freezer friendly: as you start to plan your festive feast, check your cupboards, fridge and freezer to see if you’ve got anything you can work into your meal plan. Don’t forget to factor in freezer space for any leftovers you have for a tasty meal for another day.
3. Make the most of your leftovers: even the most conservative of Christmas food shops can still result in second or third helpings for the days that follow, so factor in leftover and make your festive feast go further. Why not try turkey curry, eggnog ice cream or bubble and squeak. And if you’ve got guests over, any leftovers can be divided up afterwards so that nothing goes to waste.
4. Recycle your leftover: if you have any leftovers that can’t be used, like turkey bones, vegetable peelings or those dreaded Brussel sprouts, recycle them at home using our weekly collection service. Line your food caddy with a compostable bag, plastic bag (excluding black plastic bags), newspaper, or even place food in your caddy loose! Your food waste will be turned into electricity and fertiliser.

Small electrical recycling

Have you found your Christmas lights have lost their spark? Or do the batteries for your Christmas ornament need replacing? Recycle your small broken electrical items and batteries by leaving them on top of any bin lid, in separate clear bags, on your collection day.

If you live in a flat with shared bins, visit ‘Recycle Your Electricals’ to find a local recycling point, or visit Redbridge Household Recycling Centre.

T’is the season to be jolly aware of recycling!

Over Christmas we generate around 30% more waste and most of this can be recycled. In Oxfordshire alone we generate 2,500 extra tonnes of waste over the festive period! 

If you have any leftover wrapping paper and Christmas cards that can be reused, save them for next year. Any recycling that can't be reused can be placed into your blue recycling bin. Check out our festive recycling tips:

• Flatten cardboard boxes before recycling to save room in your recycling bin
• Ensure cardboard is placed inside of your bin or sack (wet paper can't be recycled)
• Place extra recycling next to your bin or sack in a clear bag for collection
• Remove ribbons, bows and other ornaments before recycling wrapping paper
• Do the scrunch test to see if your wrapping paper is recyclable. Simply scrunch your paper: if it generally stays scrunched, it can be recycled. If it bounces back, it is not recyclable. And remember, paper with glitter, foil and plastic can't be recycled

Up to 80% of your waste can be recycled. Please try to recycle as much as possible. Extra rubbish that doesn't fit in your green bin or lilac sacks will not be collected.