Recycling A-Z
The list below shows what can and cannot be recycled at Oxfordshire County Council's eight Waste Recycling Centres around the county. You can check kerbside collections on your local district council's website:
Aerosols
Some district councils collect aerosol cans in their doorstep collections (check using the links at the top of the page). Normal domestic aerosols can be recycled at the Waste Recycling Centres (WRCs) by placing them in the green wheelie bin.
Aluminium foil
Some district councils collect foil in their doorstep collections (check using the links at the top of the page). This can be placed in the scrap metal containers at the Waste Recycling Centres for recycling.
Asbestos
You can dispose of asbestos at Ardley, Redbridge and Dix Pit Waste Recycling Centres. See our asbestos page for more information.
Bathroom suites
These come under our 1,2,3 for Free scheme (.pdf format, 247Kb). Each item is counted separately: toilets, sinks, baths etc, and we accept up to three items for free, before charging.
Batteries
Some district councils collect batteries in their doorstep collections (check using the links at the top of the page). Old car batteries and any domestic battery (eg torch, remote control, watch) can be disposed of at any of our Waste Recycling Centres.
Bicycles
Bicycles in a good condition can be taken to Redbridge, Drayton or Dix Waste Recycling Centres for refurbishment. Other bikes can be placed in the scrap metal containers for recycling. Alternatively, Oxford Cycle Workshop (a social enterprise) will refurbish bicycles.
Books
Local charity shops may be able to use your old books. If the books cannot be re-used then you can take them to your local Waste Recycling Centre. If the book has a hardback cover, then the cover needs to be removed and disposed of as rubbish but you can put the pages into the mixed paper bin.
Blue glass bottles
Some district councils collect glass in their doorstep collections (check using the links at the top of the page). You can also place these in the green glass bottle banks at our Waste Recycling Centres.
Cardboard
Some district councils collect cardboard in their doorstep collections (check using the links at the top of the page). All types of clean cardboard from households can be taken to any of the Waste Recycling Centres for recycling.
Carpets
Carpets cannot be recycled because of the mix of fabrics they contain. Please try to reuse them, or offer them to charity shops or community groups.
Cartons
Paper based drinks cartons (such as Tetra Paks) can now be recycled at all Waste Recycling Centres. These cartons are typically used for fruit juices.
Christmas cards
You can put your Christmas cards in the cardboard recycling bins at the Waste Recycling Centres. Some supermarkets also provide bins to collect greetings cards after Christmas.
Christmas trees
See garden waste.
Clothing
See textiles.
Commercial waste
See the commercial waste section of our website.
Computer and computer monitors (WEEE)
We accept a small number of personal computers at Waste Recycling Centres.
Check that you have wiped your computer's hard drive (which contains your personal details) before depositing the computer at the WRC. It is your responsibility to ensure that your personal details have been removed. If you take your computer to a repair shop, check that they will guarantee their work against possible data theft.
Once you have cleared personal data from your computer, then householders can take it to a Waste Recycling Centre and placed in the 'Small WEEE' container for recycling.
Computer consumables
For printer cartridges see toner cartridges.
Computer CDs, DVDs and floppy diskettes cannot be recycled. If the CD or DVD is music or film and still plays then your local charity shop may accept them as donations. Some charity shops accept empty CDs or DVD cases as they can sell these in their shops.
DIY waste
DIY waste from householders is accepted at all eight Waste Recycling Centres. Under our 1,2,3 for Free scheme (.pdf format, 247Kb) the first three items are free and subsequent items are charged at £1 each up to a maximum of £10 (i.e. 13 items in total). An item counts as a normal bin bag of waste, one door, one sink, one bath etc.
Drinks cartons
See cartons section above.
Engine oil and engine filters
Householders can dispose of used engine oil at any of our household Waste Recycling Centres.
Fluorescent tubes (WEEE)
We accept a small number of fluorescent tubes from householders only at any of our Waste Recycling Centres.
Fridges or freezers (WEEE)
All Waste Recycling Centres accept fridges and freezers from householders disposing of their own fridge or freezer. District councils also provide a 'bulky waste' collection service for a fee. Contact your local district council for more details (see the links above).
Furniture (eg old sofas)
All our Waste Recycling Centres accept furniture, unfortunately most of it must be landfilled. Wooden furniture without vanish or paint can be placed in the wood containers and metal furniture in the scrap metal container.
At Dix and Drayton, furniture with the necessary fire resistant labels and in a suitable condition to be re-used can be placed in a separate container at the site where it is re-used. These are then taken by Emmaus for re-distribution to families on benefits and low incomes.
Garden chemicals
Small quantities of hazardous waste from householders can be taken to the Waste Recycling Centres and placed in the red chemical stores where it will be treated and disposed of appropriately.
Garden waste
All districts have kerbside green waste collections (follow the links at the top of the page to find out more). All Waste Recycling Centres also accept garden waste up to six inches in diameter, for composting:
What we can accept
| Yes please: | No thank you: |
|---|---|
| hedge clippings | meat, cooking oil, wax or waxed paper |
| twigs and small branches (max. 2 inch diameter) | fruit, salad or vegetable peelings |
| flowers and plants | tea bags or coffee grinds |
| windfalls | egg shells, stale bread or crusts |
| grass cuttings | cooked food (including vegetables) |
| leaves | large items of garden waste (eg tree trunks) |
| shrub prunings | plastic bags |
| vegetable waste from the garden, eg potato tops | glass, metal and plastics |
| bark and wood shavings | nappies |
| hay / straw (soiled animal bedding from non-meat eating animals only, eg rabbits) | stone and rubble |
| Christmas trees | large quantities of soil |
| any other household waste | |
| Japanese Knotweed |
Gas bottles
Old gas cylinders can be returned to the retailer or supplier. For gas cylinders other than Calor Gas, you can ring the LP Gas Association on 08457 626379 for advice. For Calor Gas Bottles, please call 0800 662 663 and they will inform you of where your nearest Calor Gas Direct Outlet is.
Do not place gas cylinders in your dustbin because they may explode if they are crushed.
We accept a small number of gas bottles from householders at any of our Waste Recycling Centres.
Glass bottles or jars
Some district councils collect glass in their doorstep collections (check using the links at the top of the page).
We can also accept glass bottles and jars at our Waste Recycling Centres. It is important that clear, green and brown glass is colour sorted and placed in the correct bank.
Glass - other
Other glass, for example, window glass or heat treated glass (eg Pyrex or visionware) are not accepted for recycling as they are made from different material to bottle glass. These melt at different temperatures to standard glass bottles, causing problems with the recycling process if mixed. We have investigated the possibility of recycling it but processors will not accept glass from Waste Recycling Centres due to contamination issues.
Your local district council may collect sheets or panes of glass as part of its bulky waste collection service. Follow your council's link at the top of this page to check.
Glasses
See spectacles below.
Hardcore and rubble
We accept small amount of hardcore at the Waste Recycling Centres from householders in the container marked 'Rubble'. Please note that you may be charged under our 1,2,3 for Free scheme (.pdf format, 247Kb) for DIY waste.
Lawnmowers
Electric lawnmowers are classed as Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) and can be recycled. If you have a petrol lawnmower, please make sure that the petrol tank is completely empty, and it can then be placed in the scrap metal skip for recycling.
Light bulbs
Filament light bulbs are not classed as Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), and unfortunately cannot be recycled at the Waste Recycling Centres.
Energy saving bulbs and fluorescent tubes are classed as WEEE and can be placed in the recycling containers on site.
Mattresses
Mattresses can be taken to any of our waste recycling centres. Unfortunately due to the mix of materials within a mattress they cannot be recycled, so should be placed into one of the landfill containers on site. If your mattress is still in good condition you could consider offering it on www.freecycle.org.
Metal
There are scrap metal banks at each Waste Recycling Centre. At some sites tins and cans should be placed in with the plastic for sorting and recycling off site. At other sites all metals should be placed in the scrap metal banks for recycling. Please ask the site staff if you are unsure where to place your metals
Mobile phones (WEEE)
There are many charities that raise money by collecting old mobile phones. Alternatively, they can be placed in the 'small WEEE' containers available at all Waste Recycling Centres for recycling.
Remember to take out your old SIM cards.
Paint
If you have excess paint at home, try and use it up, either yourself or give it away to friends or relatives or donate it to a charity.Community RePaint is a network of paint re-use schemes who may be able to use your leftover usable paint.
We do not accept liquid paint, so if you can't use it up or find it a good home by giving it away you will need to harden it before disposal. You can buy a paint hardener, or add sawdust, sand or soil to the tin and leave the lid off until the paint becomes solid and dry (please pierce the dried paint before taking it to a Waste Recycling Centre to make sure it's fully hardened).
Clean and dry metal tins can be thrown into the scrap metal banks at any Waste Recycling Centre, but plastic or contaminated tins must be landfilled (there is a landfill skip on every site).
In the future, follow the guidelines on the tin of paint before buying to ensure that you buy just the amount you need for a job.
Paper
All district councils collect paper in their doorstep collections (see the links at the top of the page).
At the Waste Recycling Centres, we have a mixed paper container which collects all types of paper including shredded paper, junk mail and books. Please remove the covers from hardback books first.
Telephone directories such as the Yellow Pages or Thomson Local Directory can be recycled in some doorstep collection schemes (see the links at the top of the page to check). If your district council doesn't collect them, you can take them to a Waste Recycling Centre, or a local bring bank instead. You can use the postcode search on the Recycle now website to find your nearest.
To save paper, you could cancel your telephone directory home delivery, and look online instead. To cancel Yellow Pages, call Freephone 0800 671 444. To cancel the Thomsons Local Directory, call 01252 390990 or email distribution@thompsonlocal.com.
Please note: laminated paper, newspaper used for pet bedding and foil, glitter or laminated wrapping paper cannot be recycled in any scheme - either at the Waste Recycling Centres or by your local district council. See the wrapping paper entry below for more information.
Plasterboard
Plasterboard is no longer accepted in the landfill skips at any of the Waste Recycling Centres because of new regulations by the Environment Agency.
You can take plasterboard to Ardley, Dix Pit or Rebridge Waste Recycling Centre, and deposit it in the skips provided for recycling. Please note that you may be charged under our 1,2,3 for Free scheme (.pdf format, 247Kb) for DIY waste.
Plastic bags
There are plastic bag recycling banks at most of the larger supermarkets, either near the door or with the other recycling banks. Although the most 'environmentally friendly' option is to not produce waste in the first place. Try bringing your own bags or buy a better quality bag that you can re-use.
Plastic
Some district councils collect plastic in their doorstep collections (check using the links at the top of the page).
There are over 50 types of plastic but only six are labelled. Those plastics labelled 1 or 2 can be recycled at the Waste Recycling Centres. These generally include plastic bottles and food containers (washed out). For more information, see this Recycling plastic containers factsheet (.pdf format, 57Kb).
Polystyrene
Unfortunately, polystyrene cannot currently be recycled anywhere in the UK.
Printer cartridges
See toner cartridge section.
Smoke alarms
Smoke alarms cannot be recycled, but can be disposed of in your normal household waste.
Spectacles
There are many charities such as Vision Aid which benefit from your old spectacles. Old spectacles can also be taken to Oakley Wood and Stanford in the Vale Waste Recycling Centres, where they are passed on to Vision Aid.
Soil
We accept small amounts of soil for re-use at the Waste Recycling Centres. Please note that you may be charged under our 1,2,3 for Free scheme (.pdf format, 247Kb) for DIY waste.
Telephone directories
See paper section above.
Televisions (WEEE)
We accept a small number of televisions at each Waste Recycling Centre.
Tetra Paks
See drinks cartons section above.
Textiles
Your local charity shop will accept good quality textiles, otherwise textiles in any condition, even ripped or damaged, can be taken to the Waste Recycling Centres for recycling.
Toner cartridges
There are many charities that can raise money from your old toner cartridge - just search the web to find a charity of your choice.
Tools
At Redbridge Waste Recycling Centre, hand tools are collected by the charity Tools For Self Reliance. They will take building, carpentry and mechanics hand tools for re-use.
Orinoco - a charity that supplies paint, scrap materials and tools that they have sourced from businesses and rescued from the tip - will collect hand tools (not electrical tools). You can call them on 07960 661748. They also collect from Redbridge.
Toys
Your local charity shop, hospital or clinic could benefit from your unwanted good quality toys.
Trade waste - recycled
See the commercial waste section of our website.
Tyres
We accept up to five car tyres at any of our Household Waste Recycling Centres - from householders only. There is a charge of £2.50 per motorbike/car tyre, or £4 per oversized car/trailer tyre.
Please see our tyres charging leaflet (.pdf format, 229Kb) for more information.
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)
WEEE regulations came into force in England from 1 July 2007. WEEE items will be accepted across all Waste Recycling Centres in Oxfordshire. See our page on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment for more details about the regulations, and which items it covers.
Wood
There is a wood bin at each of the Waste Recycling Centres.
Dix Pit will only accept clean, untreated wood. However, all other sites now accept:
- natural wood and plywood
- fence panels and posts
- pallets, building wood and off-cuts
- solid wood doors, furniture and floorboards
Please note that MDF and laminate flooring should not be placed in the wood container as they cannot be recycled.
For more information, see this factsheet on recycling timber (.pdf format, 96Kb).
Wrapping paper
You can recycle traditional wrapping paper or brown paper, but make sure you remove any tape first. You could also compost tissue or crepe paper. Please note that foil, glitter or laminated wrapping paper cannot be recycled.
Yellow Pages
See paper section above.
