Garden waste

We provide a garden waste service with a fortnightly collection from a wheeled bin, for items such as grass cuttings, leaves, branches, weeds and hedge clippings.

The cost is £32 a year per bin for the service. For details on how to order a bin, click the link in the menu on the left hand side of this page.

The size of the wheeled bin is 240 litres.

We will collect your garden waste on the same day and time as your recycling - to check when this is see our collections page.

Frequently asked questions about the garden waste collection service

What can I put in my brown bin?

• Grass
• Leaves
• Weeds
• Flowers and plants
• Hedge clippings
• Branches (not more than 10cm thick)
• Prunings and twigs
• Windfall fruit

What can’t I put in my brown bin? 

• Food or kitchen waste (put this in your food waste bin)
• Cat or dog faeces
• Vacuum dust or fire cinders
• Soil, stones or rubble
• Wood that has been treated or painted
• Cardboard, Tetra packs (milk or juice cartons), or wrapping paper (these can go in your green recycling bin)
• Plastic flower pots, trays or bags
• Weeds that need reporting to the Environment Agency, like Japanese knotweed, ragwort

What happens if my bin contains items it shouldn’t?     

If your bin contains items it shouldn’t we will leave a note on your bin explaining this and will empty it on your next scheduled garden waste collection if the items have been removed.

Will extra waste be collected if left next to the bin?      

We will only collect waste inside the bin except in January when we’ll collect Christmas trees and a day in spring that we’ll publicise nearer the time through our website and newsletter.

Can I line my bin to keep it clean or put bags of garden waste in it?  

Sorry! You can’t line the bin as it contaminates the waste and can damage shredding equipment. For the same reason you cannot put bags in the bin. Garden waste must be loose.

Do not overload your bin   

Our crews must be able to safely manoeuvre the bin to the vehicle for emptying and be safely lifted by the vehicle. The driver’s decision is final.

How do I know when to put my bin out for emptying?    

We will collect garden waste on the same day as your recycling (unless we advise / have advised you otherwise). And will notify residents in advance of any changes including Bank Holiday changes, through the press, our website and council publications.

Where do I put my bin for emptying?

Just within the boundary of your property by 6am on the day of collection. The bin must be clearly visible.

Arrangements over Christmas and New Year?

We will suspend collections for two weeks over the Christmas period to manage the extra household waste generated over this period and will notify residents through our website and council publications. We will however collect extra side waste on a date in the spring, which we will publicise as above.

Adverse weather conditions?

We may suspend collections in exceptional circumstances, for example adverse weather conditions.

I need help moving my bin 

If you are physically unable to put your bin out for collection and there is nobody you can call on to help, please ring us on 01491 823416 to chat through your options.

Can I have extra bins?

Each bin costs £32 and you can have as many as you need.

What must I do if I move house?   

If you move house within the South Oxfordshire district you can take the bin with you, but not if you move to another district. You must notify us immediately if you change address or wish to cancel the service or risk further charges.  

What must I do if my bin has not been emptied?

If your brown bin has not been collected, please check you have the correct collection day before reporting this to us by 5pm the following working day:

• Calling 03000 610610
• Emailing – admin.southoxford@Biffa.co.uk

What if my property is not suitable for a brown bin?      

In exceptional circumstances we can offer biodegradable sacks.  We would however need to visit the property to confirm a bin is not suitable. To request this service call 01491 823416.  The service costs £32 and includes a year’s supply of sacks (50 sacks).