We provide a bulky waste collection service for Oxford residents.
This page explains which items we collect, how to book and the charges which are essential to sustain this service.
We also explain what happens to bulky waste after collection, what you can do with items we don't collect and some free alternatives to bulky waste collections.
Can your bulky item be fixed, repurposed or donated instead?
Before you book a bulky waste collection, consider if someone else might want it or if it could be fixed or repurposed.
Some suggestions are:
- ask friends, family and neighbours if they could use the item you no longer need
- use a repair cafe such as the one at Rose Hill Community Centre, which helps fix electrical gadgets, clothes and bikes
- sign up to Oxford Freecycle, which lets you list unwanted items for free, rather than throw them away
- get in touch with Orinoco, which accepts tools, crafts and scrap items to sell and use in art projects
- have a look at Recycle Now for lots of ideas to reuse or recycle
- donate to a charity (some may collect for free) such as British Heart Foundation, Emmaus Oxford, Helen and Douglas House and Sue Ryder
Items we collect
We collect household furniture, electricals and other domestic white goods. These include.
- armchairs
- bed bases, headboards, footboards and mattresses
- computers, laptops, screens and monitors
- dishwashers
- fridges and freezers (except American-style or commercial-sized)
- garden furniture (subject to approval based on size and weight)
- lawnmowers (electric)
- microwaves
- ovens and hobs
- printers
- sofas (modular and corner sofas that split into pieces are charged per piece)
- tables and chairs (a table with 4 chairs is 5 items)
- televisions
- toys (subject to approval based on size and weight)
- tumble dryers
- vacuum cleaners
- wardrobes
- washing machines
Items we don't collect (and what to do instead)
We do not collect:
- animal hutches and crates
- american-style fridge freezers
- commercial waste (any waste from business premises) - see Commercial recycling and waste collections by ODS
- DIY, construction and demolition waste
- fitted kitchens, bathroom suites, internal doors
- garden sheds, fences, wooden gates and greenhouses
- garden waste that will not fit in a sack - see garden waste collection scheme
- toughened glass items - such as a glass coffee table/glass-fronted fridges
Use the Waste wizard (at Oxfordshire.gov.uk) to find out what to do with unwanted household bulky items.
You can take most bulky waste to a recycling centre. Check which items are accepted, charges and any steps you need to follow at Redbridge Household Waste Recycling Centre (at Oxfordshire.gov.uk)
How to book or cancel a collection
To book a collection ring 01865 249811 (during working hours only). You must list each item to be collected and have your card ready to make payment.
To cancel a collection ring the same number. You must give at least 3 working days' notice to get a full or partial refund.
Bulky waste collection charges
Bulky waste collection is a chargeable service. A discount is available if you receive housing benefit, council tax support, or universal credit with a housing element.
Charges are:
- household furniture (such as sofas, armchairs, and mattresses) - £22 per item or £10 per item with the discount
- large electrical items and white goods (such as fridges, freezers, washing machines, and ovens) - £33 per item or £15 per item with the discount
The total charge will be confirmed when you call to book and pay for a collection.
Price changes from 1 April 2025
From 1 April 2025 a discount will continue to be available if you receive housing benefit, council tax support, or universal credit with a housing element. Charges will be as follows:
- household furniture (such as sofas, armchairs, and mattresses) - £23.50 per item or £10 per item with the discount
- large electrical items and white goods (such as fridges, freezers, washing machines, and ovens) - £34.50 per item or £15 per item with the discount
What happens next
Prepare for collection day
We collect bulky items on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays between 7am and 4.30pm. Your collection dates will be confirmed when you book.
Your items must be available for collection (visible and outside the property) by 7am on the agreed collection date.
Only leave out the items you've booked a collection for - we won't collect different or additional items.
We do not collect from inside houses, blocks of flats, yards, gardens, sheds or garages.
If the collection is from:
- a terraced property - place items on the pavement no sooner than the night before the booked collection date
- flats - place items by the shared bin store (if this isn't possible, speak to the customer service officer when booking)
What happens to bulky waste after collection
Items are picked up by different vehicles and taken to a landfill or for breaking and salvage:
- white goods are taken by box van to Euleme for degassing and metal retrieval
- electrical items are taken by box van to Jack Daw Lane for metal salvage
- household items are taken by refuse lorry for landfill at Sutton Courtenay
