Recycling at Christmas

Mixed recycling - blue bins or clear sacks

Over Christmas we generate around 30% more waste and most of this can be recycled. In Oxfordshire alone, we generate around 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 or clear sack. 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
• 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.

Food recycling

Reduce food waste and save money this Christmas by planning your feast carefully to buy just the right amount. If you do have leftovers, remember to recycle them in your food caddy. This includes items like turkey bones, cooking oil (place in a plastic bottle before popping to your caddy), and vegetable peelings.

Don’t forget, you can line your food caddy with plastic bags (excluding black bags), plastic bread bags, or vegetable bags. Alternatively, you can place food waste in your caddy loose!

Small electrical and battery recycling

Have you found your Christmas lights have lost their spark? Or do the batteries need replacing? Recycle your small broken electrical items and batteries by leaving them on top of your green or blue 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.

Textile recycling

Approximately 3% of household waste is made up of textiles, and it is estimated that more than 1 million tonnes of textiles are sent to landfill each year.

Christmas means exchanging of gifts and wardrobe updates for festive celebrations, but what happens to replaced or unwanted clothes and linen?

Instead of consigning them to the green bin and incineration, consider:

• local swapping or ‘swishing’ through OxSwap.
• swap clothes using online platofrms like The Swap Shop or Rehash
• consider giving clothes away through Freecycle or Freegle
• donating to local charity shops, like the flagship Oxfam Superstore

You can also book a free kerbside textiles collection through our partner Recycling Solutions. They accept clean, dry textiles in good condition – clothes, shoes, linens, and more!

Book your free textile collection today via the Oxford City Council website.