21st March 2025
Residents who have purchased a permit for the district councils brown bin garden waste collection service in South Oxfordshire or the Vale of White Horse can have extra garden waste collected for free, on their normal scheduled collection day only, between 31 March* and 11 April.
Permit holders can put out a maximum of up to four additional sacks of garden waste, per brown bin subscription, next to their brown bin.
To be eligible for a collection, please follow this guidance:
- Only present natural garden waste, such as cut grass, plants or branches.
- Please use standard sized (60L) black refuse-style sacks or boxes / containers totalling no more than a standard bin full.
- Bags and containers must be left open so crews can easily empty them into the rear of the vehicle.
Please DO NOT use bags larger than 60l (including one tonne builders’ type waste bags) – our crews will not collect any garden waste from these, as they are too heavy to lift.
*This service is also available to current garden waste collection subscribers who are due to receive a collection on 31 March, prior to the start of the new permits on 1 April.
Cllr Sam James-Lawrie, Cabinet Member for Environment at South Oxfordshire District Council said: “We encourage all brown bin permit holders to make use of this service on their scheduled collection day. Not only to help clear their gardens and prepare for the new growing season, but also to help ensure their cuttings can be put to good use and be turned into compost for local farms.”
Cllr Mark Coleman, Cabinet Member for Environmental Services and Waste at Vale of White Horse District Council, said: “Remember to take advantage of this service, you must have a permit for garden waste collections. And please, only use standard-sized sacks or containers and not rubble or builders’ waste bags, we can’t collect any cuttings from these.”
All the garden waste collected will be taken to a facility near Wallingford where it is composted. The compost will then be sold on to local farmers for use on their farmland as a soil conditioner.
Garden Waste Permits
From 1 April 2025, a new permit scheme will change the way that residents pay for their garden waste collection. Permits must be paid for in advance and bins will only be emptied if they are displaying a valid permit sticker.
More information about garden waste collections, including how to buy a permit, can be found on the South Oxfordshire garden waste page or the Vale garden waste page.
