A recycling image of scrunched paper

And, recycling dates for your Christmas tree

Not sure what you should and shouldn’t be recycling this Christmas? Well East Devon District Council (EDDC) has put this handy list together to help you over the festive season.

Every household in the district will soon be receiving a bin hanger, with all the information you need over Christmas and New Year. 

You can also ask your Alexa when your bins will be collected. 

Here’s our handy list on recycling tips over the festive season: 

What Christmas recycling can go in your green box? 

  • Plain wrapping paper and Christmas cards (Nothing with any glitter on it).
  • Textiles in a plastic bag, to keep them dry. EDDC works with The Salvation Army which reuses the items - they need to be in a good enough condition that you would buy them from a charity shop for us to be able to reuse them.
  • Batteries, placed in a small clear bag, and small electrical items that fit inside your green box with the lid on – like hairdryers or kettles. 

What should be put in your black wheelie bins?  

  • Wrapping Paper or Christmas cards with glitter, foil or plastic – they will be used to generate electricity. Putting these out for recycling could contaminate a whole lorry load of paper or cardboard!
  • Plastic film – Unfortunately EDDC are unable to recycle plastic film products such as film wrappers, plastic bags, crisp packets, cling film, polythene and pill casing.
  • Polystyrene – There is always lots of polystyrene around at Christmas in packaging. Pop it in your black bin and help EDDC power more homes.

What about Christmas trees? 

You can recycle your real Christmas tree in your green waste bin (no branches thicker than 100mm) or you can take them here: 

Axminster - West Street car park – Monday 4 January - 12:30pm to 2.30pm.
Broadclyst - Sports Pavilion car park – Tuesday 5 January  - 12:30pm to 2.30pm.
Budleigh Salterton - Lime Kiln car park - Tuesday 5 January  - 8.30am to 11.30am.
Cranbrook - The Cranberry Farm – Wednesday 6 January  - 8.30am to 11.30am.
Exmouth - Imperial Road car park – Monday 4 January  - 8.30am to 2pm.
Honiton - Lace Walk car park – Tuesday 5 January  - 8.30am to 11.30am.
Ottery St Mary - Land of Canaan car park – Tuesday 5 January - 12.30pm to 2.30pm.
Seaton - Jurassic car park – Monday 4  January - 8.30am to 11.30am.
Sidmouth - Manor Road car park – Wednesday 6  January - 8.30am to 12noon. 
Your trees will be composted and used as a natural fertiliser by local farms or in our parks. 

Don’t forget about the food: 

All your food, cooked or uncooked, dog and cat food and tea bags and coffee grounds, can be placed in a single-use plastic bag (whether it is a bread bag, cereal box liner or carrier bag) and then put in your food caddy. 

Extra recycling can still be collected if you fill up your recycling box or sack! 

Recycling champions who fill up their recycling containers can put the extras in a box or bag next to your usual recycling containers. Please remember to separate extra materials as you do with your normal sack and box. 

For more information on when your collections are over the holiday period visit EDDC’s website at eastdevon.gov.uk or by downloading the app. 

Don’t forget you can now pick up a bargain at Devon recycling centres re-use shops which are now selling electrical goods, including vacuum cleaners, lamps and Flat screen TVs. 

The goods are being sold within the re-sale shops at Pinbrook Recycling Centre in Exeter and Knowle Hill Recycling Centre in Exmouth, thanks to a scheme being run by SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK Ltd and Devon County Council.

Councillor Geoff Jung, EDDC’s portfolio holder for coast, country and environment, said: “On behalf of EDDC and our recycling and waste crews I would like to wish all our residents a Happy Christmas.

I would also like to thank you all for co-operating and helping our crews in the most difficult period ever, with record tonnages of recycling, and extra health and safety precautions.

In East Devon we recycle more than most other districts in the UK, and that is down to you, so thank you, and please continue recycling.