Cherwell to introduce kerbside glass recycling

The change will end more than 30 years of residents having to make trips to the bottle bank

Residents in north Oxfordshire will be able to recycle their glass bottles with other waste from next year, after a new kerbside collection was approved.

Cherwell District Council said the change would end more than 30 years of residents taking their glass to bottle banks.

From 1 January next year, householders will instead be able to put it in their blue recycling bin.

The authority said the change would cost between £300,000 and £400,000 due to lost income from bottle banks and higher "gate fees" at waste management facilities.

The change will help the authority comply with the new "Simpler Recycling" law that comes into force in April 2026.

It is anticipated the change will improve the district's overall recycling rate by up to 1.5%.

More than 100 bottle banks around the district will be removed, which the council said would help prevent fly-tipping.

Councillor Ian Middleton, portfolio holder for neighbourhood services, said: "The collection of glass from the kerbside is one of the most requested changes to our recycling service, and we have been listening.

"This change will make it faster and more convenient for residents to recycle whilst reducing the problems associated with bottle banks.

"The reality is that these have attracted litter and fly-tipping, with the taxpayer having to pick up the costs of the clear-up."

Glass collected in blue bins in Cherwell will be separated from other dry recycling by machines at a sorting centre.

Large pieces will be sorted for further processing, while smaller pieces will be used for road aggregate or shot blasting material, which is used to strengthen surfaces.