Recycling and Waste news

Oxfordshire launches one of the first public vape recycling points to tackle rising environmental impact of disposable vapes

Published: Wednesday, 29th November 2023

Oxfordshire County Council, Cherwell District Council and Oxford City Council will together provide new vape recycling services across the county.

  • Oxford City Council to remove recycling bring banks

    Published: Wednesday, 20th September 2023

    Recycling bring banks that are operated by ODS and charities in the city are due to be phased out from the end of September.

  • Help prevent avoidable waste fires in Oxford - ODS urges residents to think before they throw batteries away

    Published: Thursday, 20th July 2023

    ODS is urging residents to think about what they throw out in their household waste. The aim is to reduce the risk of avoidable fires caused by batteries in waste and recycling vehicles.

  • Oxford City Council awarded £25k funding to tackle the sticky issue of chewing gum on city’s streets

    Published: Tuesday, 18th July 2023

    A grant from the Chewing Gum Task Force, administered by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, will help Oxford City Council clean up gum and reduce gum littering.

  • Oxford City Council introduces charges for replacement wheelie bins

    Published: Monday, 24th April 2023

    Oxford City Council is introducing a charge for the replacement and delivery of new waste and recycling wheelie bins, effective from today (24/4).

  • We all get recycling – let’s make sure we get it right

    Published: Monday, 17th October 2022

    Oxford City Council and ODS are supporting National Recycle Week, which runs from 17 until 23 October.

  • New anti-litter campaign launches

    Published: Tuesday, 26th July 2022

    Oxford is blessed with some of the finest city parks and green spaces in the country but there are a few who spoilt them for others by being persistent litter louts.

  • New bin collection rounds leads to little service disruption

    Published: Wednesday, 13th April 2022

    As the new bin collection rounds enter their second week of operation, Oxford City Council and ODS want to thank residents for taking note of the changes and helping the new collection schedule transition go smoothly.

  • Bin collection round changes set to start next week

    Published: Tuesday, 29th March 2022

    The changes to some domestic recycling and waste collection rounds in Oxford, announced in February, are set to take effect from 4 April,

  • Largest change to bin collection rounds set to start on 4 April

    Published: Monday, 21st March 2022

    The changes to some domestic recycling and waste collection rounds in Oxford, that were announced in February, are set to take effect from 4 April.

  • Largest change to bin collection rounds in a decade to help tackle climate emergency

    Published: Monday, 21st February 2022

    Domestic recycling and waste collection rounds in Oxford have remained the same for the last 10 years, but during this time the quantity and quality of materials collected have changed dramatically.

  • Oxford residents recycle over 200,000 coffee pods

    Published: Monday, 24th January 2022

    In August 2021, Oxford City Council, in partnership with ODS, launched the pioneering Podback coffee pod kerbside recycling service to residents. The service has proved a great success with over 200,000 coffee pods collected so far.

  • Winner announced for Recycling Heroes competition

    Published: Friday, 14th January 2022

    The winner of ODS and Oxford Recycles’ Recycling Heroes has been announced, with the judging panel finding Mae Mitchell’s amazing recycling artwork to be the best of all the entries received.

  • ODS scoops national recycling award

    Published: Thursday, 16th December 2021

    ODS Recycling and Waste Team, in partnership with Oxford City Council, has won “Team of the Year” at the MRW National Recycling Awards.

  • Less than two weeks left to enter: win £250 in Love2Shop vouchers with ODS’ Recycling Heroes competition

    Published: Wednesday, 17th November 2021

    There are now only two weeks left to enter the ODS Recycling Heroes competition.

  • ODS scoops national best team award

    Published: Friday, 15th October 2021

    ODS’ Recycling and Waste Team has scooped the Team of the Year Award at a LARAC ceremony in Birmingham earlier this month.

  • Award success for two ODS rising stars

    Published: Tuesday, 5th October 2021

    ODS’ Recycling Project Coordinator Laura Paterson and Recycling Project Officer Bill Byfield, were singled out as rising stars with a ‘35 Under 35’ award in September.

  • Recycling Heroes competition offers the best recycler a chance to win £250 in LoveToShop vouchers

    Published: Tuesday, 28th September 2021

    The competition will involve residents capturing their recycling skills in a photo or video, with the best entry winning £250 in LoveToShop vouchers.

  • Oxfordshire gets ready for Recycle Week

    Published: Monday, 20th September 2021

    A scheme to help new parents dispose of nappies properly – from the moment they register their child’s birth – is one of several Oxfordshire initiatives being highlighted as part of Recycle Week.

  • Kerbside coffee pod recycling collection comes to Oxford

    Published: Tuesday, 3rd August 2021

    ODS and Oxford City Council are working with Podback, a new coffee pod recycling service created in partnership with the biggest names in coffee pod systems, Nespresso, Nescafe Dolce Gusto and Tassimo, to enable residents to recycle their coffee pods using their kerbside recycling collection service.

  • Driver shortage affecting kerbside collections

    Published: Thursday, 22nd July 2021

    Along with other local authorities throughout the country, ODS is experiencing driver shortages due to Covid-19 cases, requiring some staff to self-isolate.

  • ODS scoops Zero Waste Award

    Published: Wednesday, 30th June 2021

    The latest recipients of the Zero Waste Awards have been announced and ODS, Oxford City Council’s wholly owned company, has scooped a four-star award.

  • Work starts to transform Broad Street into “Broad Meadow”, Oxford’s pedestrian-friendly temporary public square

    Published: Wednesday, 23rd June 2021

    Plans to create a temporary public square at Broad Street in the city centre this summer have been given the green light, after Oxford City Council’s application to close part of the street to traffic was approved.

  • Bag it, bin it or take it home

    Published: Friday, 28th May 2021

    Oxford City council is asking people to get outdoors, go active and even change the world this bank holiday weekend. But to do so responsibly and without dropping litter.

  • Recycling rates reach a new high

    Published: Tuesday, 23rd March 2021

    Oxford’s residents are recycling their waste at record levels, despite the limitations created by COVID-19.

  • Oxford’s first electric refuse collection vehicle arrives at ODS

    Published: Tuesday, 16th March 2021

    The first purpose built, fully integrated electric refuse collection vehicle (eRCV) has arrived on the streets of Oxford, providing emission free waste collection services across the city.

  • Changes coming to garden and bulky waste collections undertaken by ODS on behalf of the City Council

    Published: Thursday, 25th February 2021

    From 1 April, Oxford City Council is bringing in changes to the cost of both its garden waste and bulky waste collection services.

  • Recycle your pumpkin and other Halloween decorations

    Published: Friday, 30th October 2020

    Households in Oxford can recycle their real Halloween pumpkin at the kerbside on top of or beside their food caddy.

  • Blue Bin Recycling League closes

    Published: Friday, 2nd October 2020

    After five years of encouraging the residents of Oxford to recycle more, the Blue Bin League incentive scheme has drawn to a close.

  • Turning rubbish into charity cash

    Published: Tuesday, 15th September 2020

    ODS is turning rubbish into cash that can help animals in need.

  • Litter kills. Take it home or face a £150 fine

    Published: Thursday, 23rd July 2020

    Litter kills. Oxford City Council is warning visitors to Port Meadow and other green spaces to take their rubbish home or face a £150 fixed penalty notice.

  • Oxford to trial all-electric refuse collection vehicle to further zero emissions ambitions

    Published: Tuesday, 21st July 2020

    Oxford is to trial its first all-electric refuse collection vehicle.

  • Port Meadow litter puts animals in danger

    Published: Friday, 26th June 2020

    One of Oxford’s most famous and much loved open spaces has suffered a huge increase in litter being left behind following the recent relaxation of lockdown regulations.

  • Bulky waste collection services resume

    Published: Monday, 18th May 2020

    Oxford City Council, in partnership with ODS, is resuming bookings for its bulky waste collection service for residents from Monday 18 May, and collections from Tuesday 26 May.

  • Fly-tipping on the increase

    Published: Wednesday, 29th April 2020

    Along with many other local authority areas nationwide, Oxford City Council has seen an increase in fly-tipping since the lockdown began.

  • Garden waste service to be reinstated

    Published: Monday, 27th April 2020

    Garden waste collections in Oxford will resume from Monday 4 May.

  • Residents urged, don’t burn it - think of your neighbours

    Published: Thursday, 16th April 2020

    Oxford City Council is urging residents to refrain from burning garden waste during the current coronavirus pandemic. Smoke from bonfires can not only be a nuisance but could be a health risk for neighbours.

  • Suspension of garden waste collection service

    Published: Friday, 27th March 2020

    Oxford City Council and ODS have temporarily suspended the garden waste collection service (the brown bins).

  • Coffee cup competition winners announced

    Published: Tuesday, 18th February 2020

    ODS and Oxford City Council have announced the winners of their ‘A Cup of Inspiration’ competition, to design wrappings for the city’s new coffee cup recycling bins.

  • ODS officers scoop 35 under 35 award

    Published: Tuesday, 11th February 2020

    Two of ODS' talented young staff have each scooped a 35 under 35 award.

  • Crisp packets turn into cash for animal sanctuary

    Published: Friday, 7th February 2020

    For just over a year Oxford residents have been able to recycle used crisp packets at the ODS Marsh Road Depot and it's all added up to extra cash for a local animal charity.

  • Coffee cup competition art aims to increase recycling

    Published: Monday, 27th January 2020

    New recycling bins will soon hit the streets in Oxford, some being dressed in competition-winning artwork, that’s set to reduce the number of single use coffee cups going to landfill or incineration.

  • Oxfordshire named top waste recycler in England

    Published: Tuesday, 3rd December 2019

    Oxfordshire has been named the best performing county council waste disposal authority in England for the sixth year in a row, thanks to residents’ commitment to the environment.

  • A cup of inspiration

    Published: Friday, 29th November 2019

    Oxfordshire residents have a chance to see their artwork on new coffee cup recycling bins that are set to appear in Oxford next year.

  • Recycling is an all-year round commitment

    Published: Tuesday, 8th October 2019

    Recycle Week wrapped up after a jam-packed programme of roadshows and resident tours at recycling plants led by Oxford Direct Services’ (ODS) Recycling Team.

  • Another award win for ODS

    Published: Thursday, 3rd October 2019

    Oxford Direct Services (ODS) has been named “Winner of Best Service Team” in the Street Cleansing and Streetscene Service category at the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) Awards held in Newcastle.

  • Coffee cup recycling gets underway in December

    Published: Wednesday, 2nd October 2019

    Starting in December, Oxford City Council and Oxford Direct Services (ODS) will be working in partnership to install on-street coffee cup recycling bins in the city centre, Summertown and Headington.

  • Get set for a clean green St Clement's

    Published: Monday, 16th September 2019

    The latest area to benefit from the City Council's clean and green initiative has been announced - it's St Clement's.

  • ODS and RAW partner up for two major projects

    Published: Friday, 2nd August 2019

    Oxford Direct Services (ODS) is partnering with Blackbird Leys based RAW on two major construction projects for Oxford City Council, the Museum of Oxford's refurbishment and the redevelopment of Floyds Row, to ensure the development of the sites generates maximum social value and environmental benefit.

  • Keeping incorrect items out of the recycling

    Published: Thursday, 4th July 2019

    In light of the declaration of a climate emergency, and to make Oxford clean and green, Oxford City Council is determined to recycle as much household waste as possible.

  • Clean sweep at the Carnival

    Published: Monday, 1st July 2019

    Cowley Road Carnival takes place on 7 July. This year’s theme is Space is the Place and the carnival is set to dazzle spectators with music, performances, spoken word, drama and dance.

  • Rose Hill comprehensively cleaned

    Published: Wednesday, 17th April 2019

    The two-week Rose Hill clean-up has ended and the results are in.

  • A clean and green Rose Hill

    Published: Monday, 11th March 2019

    The City Council's clean and green initiative is set to come to Rose Hill this month.

  • Keeping Oxford's streets leaf free

    Published: Thursday, 22nd November 2018

    If autumn is the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, it's also the season of falling leaves. Lots of them.

  • Gipsy Lane cleanup completed

    Published: Wednesday, 14th November 2018

    The two-week Gipsy Lane clean up has ended and the results are in.

  • Recycling League wins top award

    Published: Wednesday, 7th November 2018

    Oxford Direct Services’ Recycling Team has won an award for the Best in Recycling and Waste Innovation from the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE).

  • A clean green Gipsy Lane

    Published: Tuesday, 16th October 2018

    For two weeks between 15 and 28 October Oxford Direct Services staff are concentrating their cleaning efforts on the Gipsy Lane area of Headington.

  • Campaign launching to tackle dog fouling in Blackbird Leys

    Published: Friday, 21st September 2018

    Oxford City Council is set to launch a campaign on Monday 24 September to encourage Blackbird Leys’ dog owners to clean up after their pets.

  • Less litter in Littlemore

    Published: Wednesday, 22nd August 2018

    A two-week Littlemore clean-up campaign last month targeted the area with intensive deep clean while staff went from door to door to advise residents and businesses on refuse collection and recycling

  • A clean, green Littlemore

    Published: Tuesday, 10th July 2018

    For two weeks from 16 July, Oxford Direct Services staff will be out and about in Littlemore bringing the Council's Clean Green Oxford campaign to the area.

  • Refuse vehicle fire

    Published: Friday, 6th July 2018

    This morning one of Oxford Direct Services' commercial refuse and recycling vehicles suffered a fire in the cab whilst at Sainsbury's on Heyford Hill.

  • Carnival clear up comprehensively completed

    Published: Monday, 2nd July 2018

    Cowley Road pulsated to the sound of music, dancers and street performers yesterday as thousands descended on the area to celebrate the annual Carnival.

  • Recycle for Oxford with British Heart Foundation banks

    Published: Friday, 20th April 2018

    For the past six years, Oxford City Council, the British Heart Foundation, Oxford Brookes University and Oxford University colleges, have run an end of year clear-out recycling scheme for students.

  • Cowley Road cleaned up 2018

    Published: Monday, 9th April 2018

    The two-week Cowley Road clean-up has ended and the statistics are in.

  • Oxford Direct Services launches

    Published: Tuesday, 3rd April 2018

    Oxford City Council has today transformed its direct services operations into a wholly-owned social enterprise called Oxford Direct Services Ltd (ODS).

  • A clean and green Cowley Road

    Published: Monday, 12th March 2018

    For two weeks from 19 March, Oxford City Council staff will be out and about along Cowley Road to bring the Clean Green Oxford campaign to the area.

  • Getting rid of cooking oil has never been simpler

    Published: Friday, 16th February 2018

    If there’s one thing everyone should know about throwing away cooking oil, it’s that you should never pour it down the sink, or down drains.

  • Ambassador Avenue bring bank to close

    Published: Thursday, 18th January 2018

    Oxford City Council and Tesco have agreed to permanently close the recycling centre at Ambassador Avenue on the Cowley Retail Park during the week commencing 5 February. 

  • After Big Ben's chimes fade away

    Published: Thursday, 28th December 2017

    The chimes of midnight will herald in the New Year and party goes will continue to welcome 2018 into the early hours, but 1 January is a normal working day for some — including our street cleaners.

  • Redbridge plans go on show

    Published: Tuesday, 28th November 2017

    Next month there will be a chance to view proposals for a new recycling transfer station to be built at Redbridge.

  • Council enhances city centre cleaning regime

    Published: Friday, 27th October 2017

    With the new Westgate Centre now open, the city can expect more visitors keen on finding out what the new shops have to offer.

  • Recycling efforts recognised

    Published: Monday, 23rd October 2017

    Recycling work in the city was recently recognised when the City Council brought home an award for Best Team of the Year.

  • City Council scoops best service APSE award

    Published: Monday, 16th October 2017

    Oxford City Council’s Streetscene team swept away the competition at the recent APSE (Association of Public Service Excellence) awards.

  • A clean green Greater Leys

    Published: Monday, 21st August 2017

    For two weeks from 17 July, the City Council staff were out and about with housing association colleagues from Catalyst, GreenSquare and A2Dominion, bringing the Clean Green Oxford campaign to Greater Leys.

  • Clean and Green campaign heads to Greater Leys

    Published: Thursday, 13th July 2017

    For two weeks from 17 July the City Council, together with the local housing associations, will concentrate resources on Greater Leys as it becomes the focus of the next Clean Green Oxford campaign.

  • It’s time to Pack for Good

    Published: Wednesday, 7th June 2017

    Oxford City Council has teamed up with Oxford University, Oxford Brookes University and the British Heart Foundation (BHF) in the fight for every heartbeat.

  • Clean Green campaign comes to Rose Hill

    Published: Monday, 27th February 2017

    Between 6 March and 17 March, the Rose Hill area of Oxford will be the focus of the next Clean Green Oxford campaign.

  • Turning waste food into watts

    Published: Monday, 27th February 2017

    Over the next two months Oxford City Council will be out and about visiting households to give out free food caddy liners and “no food waste” stickers for residents’ green rubbish bin as well as handing out food waste recycling leaflets and talking to residents about how they can recycle more of their food waste.

  • Community and Council come together to clean up Barton

    Published: Monday, 19th December 2016

    For two weeks in November, a Clean and Green campaign saw the City Council focusing its resources on Barton to give it an intensive spruce up.

  • Pennies well spent

    Published: Wednesday, 14th December 2016

    A three-year investment in Oxford’s public convenience facilities has been recognised, as the City Council won ten Platinum Grade and eight Gold Grade Loo of the Year Awards from the British Toilet Association (BTA). Platinum is the highest grade granted by the BTA.

  • Imogen’s art gets recycling message across

    Published: Friday, 18th November 2016

    In the summer, Oxford City Council ran a competition for school students to design a striking new work of art to grace the side of a refuse and recycling lorry.

  • Barton to benefit from clean green campaign

    Published: Friday, 11th November 2016

    For two weeks from 14 November Barton will be the focus of the next Clean Green Oxford campaign.

  • Star in our food recycling video

    Published: Thursday, 3rd November 2016

    Help us promote food recycling by taking part in a short film.

  • Bye gum!

    Published: Friday, 23rd September 2016

    Probably the most difficult littering problem most towns and cities have to deal with is gum – discarded by thoughtless chewers, it sticks to pavements, is unsightly and is a nightmare to remove.

  • Can you identify the Unusual Suspects?

    Published: Monday, 5th September 2016

    Recycle Week 2016 runs from 12 to 18 September. Oxford City Council is using the week as an opportunity to thank residents for all the great recycling that they’re doing and to point out a few items that they may not think they can recycle.

  • Pledge to recycle for a chance to win prizes

    Published: Tuesday, 9th August 2016

    The call is out for local charities and community groups to get involved in Oxford City Council’s Blue Bin Recycling League competition – and be in with a chance to scoop a monthly £400 cash prize.

  • Time to let the imagination run wild

    Published: Monday, 25th July 2016

    It’s time to get out the pencils, crayons, paints, or even the computer as Oxford City Council is asking children with a “green” imagination to enter its latest poster competition.

  • Recycling rate hits all time high

    Published: Monday, 18th July 2016

    People in Oxford are recycling more now than they have ever done before.

  • Second week for Templar Road Clean Green campaign

    Published: Tuesday, 28th June 2016

    The Templar Road Estate Clean Green Campaign has entered its second week with a targeted campaign aimed at giving the area a spruce up.

  • Residents urged not to put lithium batteries in household bins

    Published: Tuesday, 19th April 2016

    Oxford City Council is urging residents not to put lithium batteries in their household bins because they can cause fires.

  • Oxford residents urged to recycle and make their metals matter

    Published: Monday, 22nd February 2016

    Oxford City Council has launched a new recycling campaign to urge people living in Oxford to make their metals matter.

  • Almost 4,000 flat residents in Oxford now able to recycle food for the first time

    Published: Friday, 19th February 2016

    Oxford City Council has provided residents of almost 4,000 flats in Oxford with the ability to recycle food for the first time.

  • Callout for creative crafters and catwalk stars at ReFashion Oxford 2016

    Published: Monday, 7th December 2015

    Oxford City Council is on the lookout for local people to provide stalls, workshops and fashion shows at next year’s ReFashion Oxford.

  • Five thousand more flats soon able to recycle food

    Published: Monday, 23rd November 2015

    Oxford City Council has started delivering more than 5,000 food caddies to residents of private flats so that they can recycle food waste for the first time.

  • Almost 2,000 people sign up to take part in Blue Bin Recycling League

    Published: Monday, 9th November 2015

    Almost 2,000 people have so far signed up to take part in Oxford City Council’s new recycling competition.

  • Oxford students raise almost £100,000 for British Heart Foundation

    Published: Monday, 9th November 2015

    Oxford’s students could have raised almost £100,000 for the British Heart Foundation after donating unwanted goods as they moved out for the summer.

  • How to recycle pumpkins this Halloween

    Published: Thursday, 29th October 2015

    Oxford residents can recycle their pumpkins in several ways this Halloween.

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