This an official update from WODC (dated 15 July 2025 and reference number 0211880) for what you can put in your blue lidded recycling bin. This now includes flexible plastics i.e. plastic bags etc. Please read below for the details.
PLEASE NOTE that the website is in the process of being REDESIGNED to reflect these changes, hopefully as soon as possible to stop any further confusion.
The most up-to-date and reliable information about what you can and can’t put in your bins is available on the ‘What to put in your bin’ page on our website.
Please note that our printed and downloadable leaflets are currently being reviewed, as they don’t yet reflect some recent changes. Dry Mixed Recycling (DMR) means clean and dry items that can be recycled together in one bin. These items are sorted later at a recycling facility. It’s important that they’re not contaminated with food or liquids.
Typical items you can include in your recycling (blue lidded) bin are:
- Paper and cardboard – like newspapers, magazines, and packaging
- Plastic bottles, pots, tubs, and trays – such as drinks bottles, yogurt pots, and fruit punnets
- Metal tins and cans – including food tins, drink cans, and aerosols
- Cartons – like juice or milk cartons, and tubes from products like custard or gravy granules
- Flexible Plastic bags – like bags, bubble wrap and film
Please be aware that recycling rules can vary between councils, depending on the facilities they use.
WHAT ABOUT FLEXIBLE PLASTICS?
Although it’s not yet a legal requirement, all councils will need to collect flexible plastics for recycling by 2027. West Oxfordshire is already preparing for this. Our recycling contractor can currently accept some flexible plastics, but the national infrastructure for recycling them is still developing. This means WODC CAN COLLECT FLEXIBLE PLASTICS in your recycling bin. We can’t yet guarantee that all of it will be recycled. We encourage you to include it, as separating it now helps us prepare for the future and supports the growth of recycling systems.
WODC