5th February 2026
Residents in South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse will be able to continue using a single wheelie bin for almost all their recycling, following confirmation that both districts won’t need to change their services to meet a new national policy.
Under DEFRA’s Simpler Recycling policy, from 31 March 2026 the default (but non-statutory) expectation is that councils introduce a separate container for paper and card in order to separate that material from other recycling, unless there are clear reasons not to.
Any council wishing to collect paper and card in the same container as other dry recyclables, such as glass bottles, can, tins and plastic tubs, must carry out a process known as a ‘TEEP’ assessment – this means examining whether separate collections would be Technically, Environmentally or Economically Practicable.
South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils have now completed their TEEP assessments which concluded that introducing separate collection for paper and card was not the right option for the districts.
As a result, the councils will continue with their all-in-one bin approach to dry recycling collections, meaning residents will not be asked to use additional recycling containers for paper and card. The assessments will be kept under review in line with national policy developments.
There are also no plans to introduce fines for incorrect items placed in recycling containers. Although the councils very much encourage residents to check they are putting their waste into the correct bins*.
Cllr Sue Cooper, Cabinet Member for Environment at South Oxfordshire District Council, said: “Our residents already recycle extremely well, and our current single bin system remains one of the best-performing in the country. The TEEP assessment makes it clear that adding more bins or boxes wouldn’t offer any benefit for our district – in fact, it would increase costs and effort for residents. We can reassure people that they can continue recycling as they do now.”
Cllr Robert Clegg, Cabinet Member for Environmental Services, Climate Action and Nature Recovery at Vale of White Horse District Council, said: “At a time when some parts of the country are having to introduce multiple new bins, we’re delighted to confirm that this won’t be happening here. Keeping a single wheelie bin for dry recycling is simpler for households and remains the most efficient approach to collect recycling in our area.”
High-performing recycling districts
Both councils consistently rank among the top authorities in the national recycling performance tables, reflecting strong public participation and low contamination rates.
Not sure how to dispose of an item?
Please check it before you chuck it at southandvale.gov.uk/checkit
Please note – batteries, small electricals and textiles will continue to be collected separately and should not be put in any bin.
For more information about recycling, visit southoxon.gov.uk/recycling or whitehorsedc.gov.uk/recycling
