Vale of White Horse District Council
Abbey House, Abbey Close,
Abingdon, OX14 3JE
Email: comments@whitehorsedc.gov.uk
Telephone: 01235 520202

Vale of White Horse District Council

How to dispose of different types of household waste

Asbestos (cement bonded asbestos) - There are two waste recycling centres in Oxfordshire that will accept cement bonded asbestos from the public:

•  The Redbridge, Abingdon Road, Oxford  Tel: 01865 721464
•  Ardley Fields, Brackley Road, Ardley Tel: 01869 343459

Before visiting the site to dispose of cement bonded asbestos you must first telephone to ensure that there will be enough space in the special skip to accept it. The material cannot be accepted if it cannot be placed in the skip. 

Advice for dealing with cement bonded asbestos 

• When removing the asbestos keep it damp
• Do not saw it, cut it, break it or rub it in any way
• Double wrap it in 400 gauge polythene
• Before visiting the waste recycling centre telephone
• At the waste recycling centre report to the weighbridge office and follow the directions of the site staff
• You will be responsible for removing the material from your vehicle and placing it in the skip
• Place it in the skip carefully, do not throw it in

You will not be permitted to dispose of more than eight sheets in any one visit. Remember, if you have not phoned the recycling centre beforehand you will not be permitted to dispose of the material.  

If you have a company or tradesman in to take down the material it is the responsibility of that company or tradesman to dispose of it. It cannot be left with you for disposal. To do so would be illegal. You should also establish before hiring anyone to deal with cement bonded asbestos that they have the necessary licence and paperwork from the Environment Agency. 

Clinical waste - Special collections are arranged by the district nurse for your surgery and collected weekly for incineration. For more information please contact your local surgery.

Cooking oil - Small quantities of cooking oil can be poured onto compost heaps. Quantities of up to two litres can be poured back into their bottles and the cap replaced to ensure no leakage, then placed in with your normal refuse for taking to landfill. Any producers of regular larger quantities of oil can arrange for collection for recycling. Golden Fuels of Oxford can collect for free - contact 01865 821 950 for details.

Fire extinguisher disposal - These can be taken to one of the County waste recycling centres where there is an area allotted to pressurised canisters. They will later be removed via a caged vehicle for safe disposal.

Gas canister disposal - These can be taken to one of the County waste recycling centres where there is an area allotted to pressurised canisters. They will later be removed via a caged vehicle for safe disposal.    

Hazardous waste - The Council, together with Oxfordshire County Council, offer an advice and collection service for household hazardous waste. Call 01865 815796 for further details. 

Junk mail - You can stop all unwanted mail arriving through your letterbox by registering with the Mailing Preference Service, who will arrange for your details to be taken off the mailing lists of companies sending unsolicited mail. To register for this service call 020 7291 3310, visit the Mailing Preference Services website  or email mps@dma.org.uk     

Liquids - Liquids such as paint or oil should never be placed for collection with household waste, due to leakage from the refuse truck. Please refer to the appropriate section of this site for advice on safe disposal or recycling.

Medicines - Unwanted medicines should be returned to your local pharmacy.

Paint - Old tins of paint should not be included with your normal household rubbish because they are classified as "hazardous". Try and use up any paint yourself, or give it away to friends or relatives to use. Alternatively Orinoco, an Oxford-based charity, will accept usable paint at their scrapstore in Headington which they will then pass on to community projects and members of the public to use. For details of opening hours and how to find the charity's scrapstore please see the Orinoco website. If you can't use up spare paint or give it away, the best way to dispose of it is to add sawdust, sand or soil to the tin and leave the lid off until the paint becomes solid and dry. It can then be taken to one of the County waste recycling centres for disposal.

Syringes and needles - Regular users of syringes for example diabetics, should contact their GP to arrange for needle disposal (this includes illegal drug takers). The needle disposal/exchange may be arranged either via your GP or through needle exchange charities.

If needles are found in the street, or other public places, DON'T TOUCH THEM. Report the incident to the Vale’s Waste Team (see contact details on the right) and we will arrange for their collection and disposal.

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) - The European Commission Directive on WEEE was implemented in the UK in 2007, meaning that all electrical and electronic items must be disposed of safely, reused and wherever possible diverted from landfill. Distributors are obliged to allow consumers to return their waste equipment free of charge, and residents are advised to seek guidance from their retailer in the first instance. The Council offers a collection service for all large electrical items as part of our Special collections of bulky waste. These are then taken to storage from where they are safely dismantled and recycled. Residents wishing to make their own arrangements for disposal can take these items to any of the County waste recycling centres. Where neither of these options is practical, small items, by definition those that will fit into a black bag or dustbin, can be placed for collection with household refuse as a last resort. For more information please download the leaflet "How to recycle small electrical items" from the right of the page.