Extra garden waste collection for permit holders this April - Vale of White Horse District Council

Extra garden waste collection for permit holders this April

7 April 2026

Residents with a permit for the district councils’ 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 20 April and 1 May 2026.

Permit holders can put out a maximum of four additional sacks of garden waste for each garden waste permit, presented next to their brown bin.

To be eligible for a collection, please follow this guidance:

• Only present garden waste, such as cut grass, plants or small branches as set out in the garden waste service terms and conditions.
• Please use standard sized (60L) black refuse-style sacks or boxes / containers with a combined total no more than a standard bin when its full. Crews will only collect up to a maximum of four sacks for each garden waste permit. Additional sacks will not be emptied.
• Please DO NOT use sacks 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 and empty into the vehicle.
• Sacks and containers must be left open so crews can easily empty them into the rear of the vehicle and be able to check there are not contaminants.

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

Cllr Sue Cooper, Cabinet Member for Environment at South Oxfordshire District Council said: “We’re pleased to offer this extra service to thank our garden waste permit holders for their continued support and to help make garden tidying that little bit easier this spring. This is a great opportunity for residents to get their gardens ready for summer while making sure their green waste is recycled responsibly.”

Cllr Robert Clegg, Cabinet Member for Environmental Services, Climate Action and Nature Recovery at Vale of White Horse District Council, said: “By taking part in this extra garden waste collection, residents are helping us turn more garden waste into high‑quality compost used right here by our local farming community.”

“This initiative supports our wider ambitions for environmental sustainability by recycling more natural waste and encouraging responsible garden waste disposal.”

Garden Waste Permits

This service is only available for households that have purchased a 2026/27 garden waste permit.

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.