Oxford rolls out expanded food waste collections

While Oxford already provides a separate food waste collection service to most properties, 179 communal sites, representing 2,600 dwellings, currently do not receive the service. These are primarily private flats and Houses in Multiple Occupation. Thanks to funding secured from DEFRA, ODS and Oxford City Council will now support the remaining properties to complete a city-wide rollout. 

The rollout begins in December and continues through January and February, with each site receiving: 

• external red food waste bins for communal recycling  

• kitchen caddies for internal use 

• caddy liners and guidance materials to support residents 

• weekly food waste collections from all new red communal bins 

This expansion will help improve food recycling rates in flats, historically the lowest-performing housing sector for recycling in Oxford and support the city’s wider environmental objectives. 

Comment 

“This rollout is an important step in delivering on our environmental commitments and ensuring every household in Oxford can recycle food waste easily. By expanding this service to all remaining flats and communal properties, we’re making it simpler for residents to do their part.  

“Even a modest increase in food recycling will make a meaningful difference to our recycling performance as a city and contribute to improving the environment and reduce the amount of waste going to incineration.”  
Councillor Nigel Chapman, Cabinet Member for Citizen Focused Services and Council Companies   

The impact of food waste recycling in Oxford 

Flats will receive weekly collections from red food waste bins in communal stores.   Oxford’s food waste is processed through anaerobic digestion, producing biogas for renewable energy and nutrient-rich fertiliser that is used locally. During 2024/25, ODS collected 4,545 tonnes of food waste. Every year, UK households throw away 4.7 million tonnes of edible food - worth a staggering £17 billion. For a family of four, that’s an average of £1,000 wasted annually. The humble potato tops the list - with 41% of those bought wasted in UK homes. The environmental benefits of treating food in this way, amount to: 

• 863,491 m³ of biogas produced 

• 2,072 MWh(e) of renewable energy generated 

• enough electricity to power 768 homes for a year 

• 6,362.57 tonnes of fertiliser created for local agriculture 

National figures show the UK generates 9.5 million tonnes of food waste annually, of which only 1.8 million tonnes is recycled, improving local participation is critical. 

Recycling food waste reduces the amount sent to incineration, which cuts carbon emissions, generates renewable energy for local communities, and supports Oxford’s sustainability goals. We encourage all citizens to recycle food waste. If you do not have a food waste caddy and require one, please visit our website to find out more 

This rollout also ensures full compliance with new national requirements under the Environment Act 2021 and the Government’s Simpler Recycling reforms, which requires all local authorities to provide weekly food waste collections to every household by 31 March 2026.