Residents invited to help shape the future of recycling in West Oxfordshire

West Oxfordshire District Council has partnered with Oxford Brookes University on a research project to better understand what factors influence recycling behaviour and identify opportunities to improve recycling across the district and help residents improve recycling and understand what barriers there may be.

West Oxfordshire is one of the country's leading recycling districts, with around 57% of household waste recycled during 2024/25. However, with 43% of waste still not being recycled there is further opportunity to improve.

Analysis of collected kerbside waste in 2025 showed 25% of waste not recycled was food waste and 89% of that could have been recycled. 52% of non-recycled food was still packaged.

It also showed a lot of recyclable card, plastic, metal and glass was put in general waste. Over 42% of the waste analysed could have been recycled.

The Council is committed to increasing recycling rates even further and wants to hear directly from residents about their experiences of recycling at home. By increasing recycling rates it reduces the cost to the taxpayer and also helps protect the environment.

The survey, developed by Oxford Brookes University, takes just five to ten minutes to complete and asks residents about their recycling habits, awareness of local services and any practical challenges they face. 

Councillor Alistair Wray, Executive Member for Environment said:

"We are proud that West Oxfordshire is one of the UK's leading recycling districts, but we know there is more we can do. Analysis shows we are still throwing away waste that could be recycled. This costs the taxpayer money to dispose of and ultimately has a negative impact on our environment.

“By taking a few minutes to complete this survey, residents can help us better understand the challenges people face and identify practical ways to improve recycling services for everyone. Every response will help shape future decisions and support our efforts to reduce waste, save money, protect the environment and help raise awareness through well targeted communications".

Residents are encouraged to complete the survey before Friday 31 July 2026.

Take part in the survey:
https://forms.gle/44gqLcMKGGqd6xxZ6

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