North Oxfordshire residents can sustainably recycle their real Christmas trees from their homes in the new year.
Published: Wednesday, 31st December 2025
Cherwell District Council’s waste and recycling crews will be collecting trees from the kerbside from Tuesday, 6 January, until and including Friday, 16 January.
Trees will be collected on the recycling collection day. If residents have a subscription, they should place them in the brown bin; otherwise, leave them next to the blue recycling bin. Any trees over five feet tall must be cut in half.
Councillor Ian Middleton, Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhood Services, said: “For many, a real Christmas tree brings that festive feeling to their home. Choosing a living tree that can be replanted and enjoyed year after year is the most sustainable option, but with millions of cut trees sold annually, it’s vital to dispose of them responsibly.
“The simplest way to give your tree a second life is to recycle it right from home by just leaving it out for collection alongside your blue bin.”
Trees collected for recycling will be taken to a dedicated site in Ardley, where they’ll be composted at high temperatures before being redistributed to farmers as compost.
To ensure trees are accepted for collection, residents should remove all decorations. Broken fairy lights and other small electrical items can also be put out for recycling. They just need to be placed in a standard-size carrier bag and left on top of any bin on collection day.
Alternatively, residents with real Christmas trees still potted with roots are encouraged to care for them in their gardens until next year.