Oxfordshire residents can now get rid of small quantities of DIY waste for free.

This can be done using an online booking system at the area's household waste recycling centres.

The booking platform, established by Oxfordshire County Council, launched on January 2, requiring homeowners to book via the website to use their free DIY waste allocation.

This new approach follows a revision in government legislation permitting the disposal of small quantities of household DIY waste free of charge.

The legislation took effect last week.

Councillor Pete Sudbury, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for climate change and environment, said: "We hope people will quickly get used to this new way of doing things and find it a convenient way of disposing of their free allocation of DIY waste.

"By ensuring that people book in advance, we can make sure the system is not abused and the costs to our council taxpayers are minimised."

Online reservations for free DIY waste are only permitted for a single visit.

Oxfordshire residents need to register their address, vehicle registration number, email, and the intended visit date alongside the preferred site.

Following the registration, users receive an immediate confirmation email, which must be shown upon arrival.

Residents must adhere to their scheduled date to avoid additional fees.

Free allocations limit residents to five standard DIY items or one plasterboard sheet on a weekly basis.

Any excess or more frequent DIY waste disposal will incur full charges.

A detailed guide and examples of chargeable cases are accessible on the county council's website.

DIY waste qualifies as baths, sinks, toilets, cisterns, and a 20 litre bag of rubble or tiles.

Five items collectively make up the household's weekly free allocation.

The booking system only allows one visit every seven days.

Residents can visit more frequently, however, disposal will be chargeable.

The booking service and free allocation are exclusive to Oxfordshire residents.

Non-residents are permitted to use the local sites for DIY waste disposal but will be charged the full amount.

As residents grow familiar with the changes, site operators will offer adaptable services within the first month.

Residents can deposit their free DIY waste allowance without prior booking for their first site visit in January, although they may be asked to make an on-site or smartphone booking for future visits.

Full implementation of the booking system commences on February 1.

Registration is only necessary for free DIY waste allocation.

Other types of household waste or chargeable DIY waste do not need advance booking except for asbestos, which requires it under the current system.