The council is warning residents that unwanted items left in the street as ‘free to take’ could result in a fine or prosecution.
Published: Wednesday, 16th July 2025
Even if the intention is to donate second-hand goods to a new home, Cherwell District Council is reminding people that leaving unwanted items in public places is fly-tipping if a licensed waste handler does not remove them.
Instead, the council recommends people use its bulky or excess waste services, a charity furniture collection service, or not-for-profit apps such as Freegle and Freecycle. These apps enable people to pass unwanted items on to someone who needs them, without the need to leave them in public places.
Councillor Ian Middleton, Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhood Services, said: “Reusing or donating old furniture and other household items is part of the culture of sustainability that we’re seeking to build here in Cherwell. However, if not done properly and legally, efforts to recycle chairs, shelves, and other large items count as fly-tipping, and those responsible could be served with a fixed penalty notice or even be liable for prosecution.
“People leaving items such as furniture out as ‘free to take’ often do so with good intentions, but if they are left blocking footpaths, they are not only an eyesore but present a nuisance to more vulnerable residents, such as wheelchair users or carers with pushchairs.
“A range of affordable and legal waste services are available in north Oxfordshire. People can use our convenient bulky waste service, donate items to certain charities (some of which will collect for free), or use not-for-profit apps such as Freegle or Freecycle, which promote the circular economy and help give unwanted items a new lease of life.”
Illegal waste disposal is an offence punishable by fixed penalty notices or prosecution in a magistrates’ or Crown Court.
The various legal waste disposal options in north Oxfordshire include the council’s bulky waste collection service, starting at £10.99 per item.
People can hire supersized wheelie bins from Cherwell to help with major clear-outs. They can also visit Oxfordshire County Council’s two household waste recycling centres at Alkerton, Ardley and Dix Pit or use a licensed commercial waste service.
The council has also teamed up with Anglo Doorstep Collections to enable residents to donate to charity through free doorstep collections of hard-to-recycle items, including clothing, shoes, books, CDs, DVDs, and children’s toys.
When paying someone to remove waste, it is essential to ensure that the person is licensed. To check, they can search the public register of waste carriers on the Environment Agency website.
For details of charities which collect bulky items for donation, people can search the Waste Wizard.