Content

Here is a comprehensive list of materials and which container they should be placed into for collection. If you think an item should be added to this list then please get in touch.

The guidance below is intended to enable residents to use the East Devon District Council kerb-side recycling scheme and the Devon County Council household recycling centres to maximise the amount you can recycle and dispose of non-recyclable items safely and responsibly.

Quality counts in recycling so please separate your items according to the information below.

Some hard-to-recycle items that we are unable to collect at kerb-side can be recycled using producer return schemes eg coffee pods or front of store take back schemes eg plastic bags and flexible packaging. Producers and retailers advertise their schemes widely but please note they may not be available at all locations.

Items marked with a * should be placed into a plastic bag before being placed into the container. Electrical items should be no bigger than then the recycling box, bagged if possible and should have a plug or a battery.

Item

Disposal method

A

 

Aerosol cans (empty)

Recycling sack

Air freshener (electric)*

Recycling box

Aluminium foil/trays

Recycling sack

Animal waste/bedding

Grey bin

Asbestos

Hazardous material. Please refer to Devon County Council for advice.

Ash (leave to cool then bag)

Grey bin (bagged when cool)

 

 

B

 

Baby nappies

Grey bin

Baby wipes

Grey bin

Baking tray (metal)

Recycling centre

Bath sponges

Grey bin

Batteries*

Recycling box

Belts*

Recycling box

Birthday cards (non-glitter type)

Recycling box

Blister packs

Grey bin

Bones

Food caddy

Books (paperback and hardback)

Charity shop

Grey bin

Bread bags

Grey bin

Brochures/catalogues

Recycling box

Brown paper

Recycling box

Broken glass (wrapped)

Grey bin

Bubble wrap

Grey bin

Building rubble

Recycling Centre

 

 

C

 

Candles

Grey bin

Charity shop

Cans (food and drink)

Recycling sack

Car batteries

Recycling centre

Cardboard/cardboard packaging

Recycling box

Cards (greetings cards, non-glitter)

Recycling box

Carpets

Recycling centre

Carrier/plastic bags

Grey bin or some supermarkets

Cartons/Tetra Paks

Recycling sack

Cat litter – (bagged)

Grey bin

CD’s/DVD’s/Videos/tapes (+ cases)

Recycling centre

Cellophane

Grey bin

Cereal bags (inner bag)

Grey bin

Cereal boxes

Recycling box

Christmas cards (non-glitter)

Recycling box

Christmas tree lights*

Recycling box

Cling film/thin plastic

Grey bin

Clocks (battery)*

Recycling box

Clocks (no battery)

Grey bin

Clothes and Shoes*

Reusable quality in Recycling box

Damaged or poor quality in Grey bin

Clothes pegs

Grey bin

 

Coat hangers

Grey bin

Check with Recycling Centre

Coffee cup (disposable)

Grey bin

Coffee grounds

Food caddy

Coffee pods

Grey bin

Compostable cups

Home composting     

Grey Bin

Cooking fat

Allow to cool – grey bin

Contact lens packs

Grey bin

Cooking oil

Recycling centre

Cork

Grey bin

Cotton wool

Grey bin

Cotton buds

Grey bin

Crockery/Ceramics

Recycling centre

Crisp packets and sweet wrappers

Grey bin

Crisp tubes

Grey bin

Curtains

Recycling centre

Cushions

Recycling centre

Cutlery

Recycling Centre

 

 

D

 

Dental floss

Grey bin

Disposable razors

Grey bin

Drink cartons

Recycling sack

Drinking glasses

Recycling centre

Duvets/pillows

Recycling centre

Duvet covers/pillowcases

Recycling box

 

 

E

 

Egg boxes (card)

Recycling box

Egg boxes (plastic)

Recycling sack

Electrical items (small)*
No TV’s or Monitors

Recycling box

Electrical items (large)
Including TV’s or Monitors

Recycling centre / bulky waste service

Electric blanket*

Recycling box

Electric cable (household, short length)*

Recycling box

Engine oil

Recycling centre

Envelopes (non-padded and paper)

Recycling box

Envelopes (padded)

Grey bin

Elastic bands

Grey bin

 

 

F

 

Flat glass

Recycling centre

Flower pots

Recycling centre

Foil (clean)

Recycling sack

Food trays (hard plastic)

Recycling sack

Food trays (soft plastic

Recycling sack

Food waste

Food caddy

Fruit/vegetables

Food caddy

Furniture

Recycling centre / bulky waste service

 

 

G

 

Garden plants/weeds/grass cuttings

Recycling centre

Gas bottles and gas canisters

Recycling centre

Glass bottles and jars

Recycling box

Glassware/Pyrex

Recycling centre

Gloves*

Recycling box

Greaseproof paper

Grey bin

 

 

H

 

Hair

Grey bin

Handbags*

Recycling box

Hats*

Recycling box

Hoover dust

Grey bin

Household/garden chemicals/detergents

Recycling centre

 

 

I

 

Ice-cream tub

Recycling sack

Incontinence pads

Grey bin

Inflatable plastic items

Recycling centre

Ink cartridges

Recycling centre

Inhaler / Aerosol

Recycling box

 

 

J

 

Jars (glass)

Recycling box

Jar lids

Recycling sack

J Cloth

Grey bin

Jiffy bags (padded envelope)

Grey bin

Junk mail (remove plastic bags)

Recycling box

 

 

K

 

Kitchen food waste

Food caddy

Kitchen roll tubes

Recycling box

Kitchen towel (paper)

Grey bin

Keyboard (computer)*

Recycling box

 

 

L

 

Laminated paper

Grey bin

Lamps (remove shade)

Recycling box

Laptop computer

Recycling centre

Laundry pegs

Grey bin

Leather clothing

Recycling box

Light bulbs (energy saving)

Recycling centre and some Town councils

Light bulbs (fluorescent tubes)

Recycling centre

Linen (Duvet covers and pillowcases)

Recycling box

 

 

M

 

Magazines

Recycling box

Margarine tubs

Recycling sack

Mattress protector

Grey bin

Meat trays (plastic)

Recycling sack

Metal (pots, pans and trays)

Recycling centre

Milk bottles (plastic)

Recycling sack

Mobile phones*

Recycling box

Motorbike battery

Recycling centre

 

 

N

 

Nappies

Grey bin

Newspapers

Recycling box

 

 

O

 

Office paper

Recycling box

 

 

P

 

Packaging peanuts

Grey bin

Paint tins

Recycling centre

Paper

Recycling box

Paper towels

Grey bin

Papier mache

Grey bin

Pens

Grey bin

Pet food pouches

Grey bin

Pet food tins and trays (clean)

Recycling sack

Photographs

Grey bin

Pillow cases*

Recycling box

Pillows

Recycling centre

Pizza boxes (cardboard, no food residue)

Recycling box

Plasters

Grey bin

Plastic bottles/containers

Recycling sack

Plastic bags

Grey bin (recyclable in some supermarkets)

Plastic food trays/punnets

Recycling sack

Plastic film

Grey bin

Plastic netting

Grey bin

Plastic plant pots

Recycling centre

Plastic toys

Recycling centre

Postcards

Recycling box

Pots and Pans (metal)

Recycling centre

Polystyrene

Grey bin

Power bank (battery)

Recycling box

Pyrex

Recycling centre

 

 

R

 

Razor blades

Grey bin

Remote control*

Recycling box

Roll-on deodorant bottle

Recycling sack

Rubber gloves

Grey bin

 

 

S

 

Sanitary wear

Grey bin

Scarves*

Recycling box

Scrap metal

Recycling centre

Sheets (textiles)*

Recycling box

Shoes*

Recycling box

Shredded paper (bagged)*

Recycling box

Soft toys (stuffed)

Recycling Centre

Spectacles

Grey bin

Styrofoam

Grey bin

Sweet/chocolate/biscuit containers (tin and plastic)

Recycling sack

Sweet wrappers

Grey bin

 

 

T

 

Tablet packing (preformed plastic)

Grey bin

Takeaway container (plastic)

Recycling sack

Takeaway container (foil)

Recycling sack

Takeaway pizza boxes

Recycling box - no food

Tea bags/leaves

Food caddy

Teddy bears

Recycling centre

Televisions

Recycling centre

Tetra Pak

Recycling sack

Thermometer (mercury)

Recycling centre. Place in unwanted plastic container labelled ‘Mercury’ and hand to staff.

Thermos flask

Grey bin

Tiles (ceramic or roof)

Recycling centre

Tin (food)

Recycling sack

Tissues / Kitchen towels (paper)

Grey bin

Tissue boxes (cardboard)

Recycling box

Toilet roll tubes

Recycling box

Toothbrush (electric) – remove brush part*

Recycling box

Toothbrush (non-electric)

Grey bin

Toothpaste tubes

Grey bin

Toothpaste pump

Recycling sack

Tupperware containers

Recycling centre

 

 

V

 

Vape machine/parts

Recycling centres or return to retailer for recycling

Vegware cups (and utensils)

Home composting

Vitamin bottles (plastic)

Recycling sack

 

 

W

 

Wallpaper (used or unused)

Grey bin

Washing powder boxes (card)

Recycling box

Washing powder/capsule box (plastic)

Recycling sack

Washing up liquid bottles

Recycling sack

Washing up sponges

Grey bin

Watches (with battery)

Recycling box

Watches (no battery)

Grey bin

Water filters

Grey bin

Wet wipes

Grey bin

Wood/timber

Recycling centre

Wrapping paper (non-metallic)

Recycling box

Wrapping paper (metallic/glitter)

Grey bin

 

 

Y

 

Yellow pages

Recycling box

Yoghurt/margarine tubs

Recycling sack