Extra garden waste collected for permit holders this November

Residents with a garden waste collection permit in South Oxfordshire or the Vale of White Horse can have extra garden waste collected for free. The collection will take place on their normal scheduled collection day between 2 November and 13 November 2026.

Permit holders can put out a maximum of four additional sacks of garden waste, per garden waste permit, presented 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 small branches.
• Please use standard-sized (60L) black refuse-style sacks which combined total no more than a standard bin full.
• Please DO NOT use bags larger than 60L (including one-tonne builders’ type waste bags) – crews will not collect garden waste from these as they are too heavy to lift into the vehicle.
• Sacks must be left untied so crews can easily empty them into the rear of the vehicle and check there are no contaminants.

All garden waste collected will be taken to a facility near Wallingford. The resulting compost is sold to local farmers for use on their farmland as a soil conditioner.

From 9th September 2025 residents in South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse should use a new number for district council waste and recycling enquiries: 01235 422 123.

The previous number (03000 610 610) is being phased out and will be switched off soon. The new number is already active, so residents should update their records and start using it right away.

01235 422 123 is new number is for all household waste, recycling, food, garden waste (collections only*), bulky waste collections, clinical waste collections and street cleaning services.  It is also the number to call to report fly-tipping and abandoned vehicles. 

*For queries about garden waste permits, residents should continue to call 01235 422 422.

For enquiries relating to Household Waste and Recycling Centres (HWRC’s), please continue to contact the county council on

0345 310 1111.