District council for Banbury area to arrange collection of residents' Christmas Trees

From next week Cherwell District Council will be collecting Banbury residents’ real Christmas trees from outside their houses.

The trees will be collected by the council’s waste and recycling crews if they are left next to residents' blue recycling bins on kerbside on collection day.

The collected Christmas trees will be taken to a composting site in Ardley, where they’ll be composted at high temperatures before being redistributed to farmers as compost.

Cllr Dan Sames, portfolio holder for cleaner and greener communities, said: "Another Christmas has passed, and the arrival of twelfth night sees the decorations and lights coming down until next year.

"While we may miss the seasonal cheer our trees bring, as we say hello to 2023, it’s good to know that they can still be put to good use, as compost. By helping to fertilise farmers’ fields and nourishing the food on our plates, we are starting the new year sustainably.

"Make a green start to 2023 by supporting the crucial work carried out by local farmers in our region by composting trees in addition to food and garden waste; and reduce the environmental impact of Christmas more generally.

"The team will see a 25 per cent increase in the weight of recycling over Christmas and new year as they are collecting people’s Christmas trees. That is the equivalent of eight full waste collection vehicles."

Larger trees should be cut into pieces four feet tall or smaller, and all decorations must be removed before they are left kerbside.

Collections will be made between January 10 and January 20, and a garden waste subscription is not needed for the trees to be collected.