A Guide to Waste and Recycling

Your recycling boxes and white sack are collected every week.

Weekly Recycling Collection

How can I dispose of my plastics, tins, and paper/card recycling?

As we are unable to collect recycling that is not placed in the correct container, we ask that you store dry recycling until we can get a container to you or dispose of it at your local recycling centre or in a recycling bank.

Locations of recycling centres and banks can be found here.

How can I dispose of my food waste?

We encourage residents to compost at home as much as possible. Click here for information to get you started.

If you are unable to compost at home and are waiting for the delivery of a kerbside food caddy, please put your food waste in with your refuse until you receive your containers.

Why can I not put my recycling out for collection in a different container?

Collecting recycling from other containers can be a dangerous practice for our crews, resulting in accidents and injuries. Trying to carry cardboard boxes of glass to the vehicles and balancing them until they’re emptied is not something we can do. While we appreciate how frustrating this is for you, the safety of our crews is paramount.

Can I collect a container in person?

We will have recycling containers to collect from our council offices at Follaton House, Plymouth Road, Totnes. TQ9 5NE, on the following dates and times:

  • Wednesday 14 August - 10 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.
  • Thursday 15 August – 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

We are hoping to be able to add additional dates in the coming weeks. 

Reusable White Sack

This is for plastics and metals.

Household Plastics Household metals
Detergent and soap bottles - please remove the pumps Drink cans
Cleaning product bottles Food tins
Skincare product bottles Biscuit or chocolate tins
Drink bottles  Aerosols (empty)
Milk bottles Aluminium foil
Pots for yoghurt, soup, butter etc. Foil trays (takeaways, disposal cooking trays) etc.
Tubs for ice cream, margarine etc. Aluminium tubes (e.g. tomato purée)
Trays and punnets for meat, takeaways, fruit etc. Metal lids from jars and bottles
Plant pots (not black ones)  

All packaging should be empty and rinsed. Please put lids back on plastic bottles and flatten them wherever possible. You can leave labels on packaging but any film lids, absorbent pads etc. should go in your black bin.

Remember, no plastic films, bags or black plastics please.

Recycling Box 1

This box is for paper, glass bottles and jars.

Please do not place broken glass in any box as this will NOT be accepted as this is dangerous for our crews. Please dispose of this safely in your refuse or at the nearest HWRC.

Paper Glass Bottles and Jars
Mixed paper Bottles of any colour or size
Magazines, brochures, newspapers etc. Jars of any colour or size
White paper - letters, printer paper etc. Non-food bottles and jars - e.g. perfume, face creams etc.
Envelopes (no plastic) and junk mail  
Shredded paper (loosely tied in a bag)  

Please sort items by material type in the box - place paper at one end and glass at the other.

Metal and plastic lids and caps should go in your reusable sack.

Brown paper should be sorted with your cardboard in box 2.

Recycling Box 2

Recycling box 2 is for all types of cardboard, printer cartridges and batteries:

  • Cardboard boxes (e.g. cereal boxes, dishwasher tablet boxes)
  • Corrugated cardboard
  • Online delivery boxes and cardboard envelopes
  • Greetings cards - no glitter
  • Egg boxes
  • Brown paper
  • Food and drink cartons
  • Printer cartridges and batteries (placed in a small bag)

Cardboard must be free of dirt, food or paint. Dirty or greasy cardboard (such as takeaway pizza boxes) should go in your grey bin.

Order more supplies

If you need new stickers for your recycling boxes you can order them at the link below:

Order Recycling Box Stickers

If you need a replacement container please use the link below:

Order a Replacement Container