Waste and recycling give-away events for a greener West Berkshire

West Berkshire residents can look forward to not one, but two fantastic free giveaways this autumn to help reduce waste and protect our environment.

1. Compostable food waste caddy liners - through September:

From 1-30 September 2025, residents can pick up a free roll of compostable food waste caddy liners from the following places during regular opening hours:

• All West Berkshire Council Libraries
• The Council Office reception at Market Street in Newbury
• Tilehurst Parish Council

This offer is only open to West Berkshire residents and is available while stocks last. We ask that you only take one roll per household to give as many residents the opportunity to collect a free roll. Proof of address or your West Berkshire library card is required.

If you're not a member of your local library, why not sign up for a free membership when collecting your liners.

2. Soil conditioner give-away - 4-5 October

In partnership with Veolia, West Berkshire Council's environmental partner, we're offering free locally produced soil conditioner for the seventh time at Padworth Integrated Waste Management Facility (RG7 4JF) between 10am - 4pm on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 October.

For the giveaway weekend, no appointment is needed - just bring proof of address to confirm you are a West Berkshire resident and your own bags or boxes to easily carry and load the soil conditioner into your car - the soil conditioner will be loose, no direct loading into vehicles for health and safety reasons. Residents can still use the household waste recycling centre as normal but must still book an appointment.

This is a free event, and some queues are likely during peak times. Please arrive after 10:00am to avoid congestion; we'll restock throughout the day so there's plenty to go around. Please be patient when you arrive as we aim to allow as many people as possible to collect the soil conditioner. Also, let's be fair - we ask residents to take a reasonable amount so everyone can benefit to enjoy this fantastic offer.

Please note there will be vehicle restrictions in place. Vehicles listed as 'prohibited' in the Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) user guide (see page 8) will not be allowed to collect the free soil conditioner. No commercial vehicles will be admitted; this is for householders only. Residents must take necessary precautions for carrying the soil conditioner safely to their vehicle. The event organisers accept no liability for any injuries or damage that may be sustained by residents loading their vehicles.

Cllr Stuart Gourley, Executive Member for Environment and Highways at West Berkshire Council, said:

"We are very pleased to be able to offer two free give-aways between September and October for our local community.

"Despite the availability of food waste recycling, we are still finding that around 22% of the contents of black bins is food waste. Making full use of the food waste service is one of the most effective ways residents can increase capacity in their black bins and reduce the amount of waste sent for energy recovery. It also helps to reduce pests and unpleasant smells associated with food waste being left in general rubbish bins. Food waste collections will continue to be weekly.

"With the move to three-weekly waste collections starting on 22 September, it's more important than ever to recycle food waste and take advantage of the services available to help manage household waste efficiently."

Dave Matthews, General Manager at Veolia West Berkshire, said: 

"The soil conditioner giveaway is an excellent example of the circular economy in action, with food and green waste collected from households being converted into soil conditioner for the community at our local In-Vessel Composting Facility in Padworth.

"The soil conditioner is peat-free, meaning peatlands that store carbon dioxide are not impacted as part of its production, which helps combat climate change and protect important environments. Residents can have a positive impact on local soil health and biodiversity by using this free soil conditioner in their gardens and allotments throughout West Berkshire."

More information about food waste collections please visit: www.westberks.gov.uk/foodwaste.