Where does my waste and recycling go?
Each material type is then sent for recycling at the locations below.
The non-recyclable items are bulked and sent for disposal at the Energy from Waste Facility in Plymouth. Nothing is sent to landfill.
| Material and Customer | Destination |
|---|---|
| Paper Palm Paper |
Kings Lynn, Norfolk |
| Mixed paper and card Print Waste Recycling |
Merthyr Tydfil |
| Card (H Mix) Newberry Recycling Coastal Recycling Perrys Recycling |
Barnstaple Kennford, Exeter Bridgwater, Somerset |
| Mixed Cans and Plastics Coastal Recycling Suez R&R BWC |
Kennford, Exeter Avonmouth Bristol |
| Glass Sibelco |
Sheffield |
| Batteries Eco-Bat |
Sorted at Darlaston, West Midlands and then exported to recyclers in Europe |
| Printer cartridges BCMY Ltd |
Wick, Littlehampton |
| Material and Customer | Destination |
|---|---|
| DMR (with Glass) Suez R&R Biffa |
Avonmouth Chelson Meadow, Plymouth |
| Bagged Containers Coastal Recycling |
Torrington, Devon |
| Bagged Fibre Perrys Recycling Newberry Recycling |
Bridgwater, Somerset Barnstaple, Devon |
Recyclables are a commodity that can generate an income for the Council which is used to subsidise collections and other services. By separating recycling by type at the kerbside, we maintain a better quality product which is easier and less costly to recycle.
Food Waste
The contents of the food caddies is tipped by the collection vehicles at Ivybridge Transfer Station. Here it is bulked before being delivered to Andigestion's Anaerobic Digestion Facility in Holsworthy. The material is broken down in a series of sealed, oxygen free tanks to produce methane and digestate. Methane is a gas used to generate electricity and digestate is a nutrient rich fertiliser used by local farmers.
Garden Waste
For residents that use the garden waste service, this is tipped at Torr Quarry Transfer Station before being bulked and delivered to South West Compost, Brixton (near Plymouth). Here the garden waste is composted in large heaps which are turned every few weeks to improve breakdown of the waste.
The resulting compost is used on local farmland.
Black Bin/Seagull Sack Contents
The contents of the grey bins and seagull sacks is tipped by the collection vehicles at Torr Quarry Transfer Station where it is bulked. It is then delivered to MVV's Energy from Waste (EfW) and Combined Heat & Power (CHP) facility in Plymouth. Some waste collected from the west of the district is also delivered direct to MVV.
The waste is used as a fuel to heat water into super-heated steam which turns a turbine to create electricity. Leftover heat energy from this process is also used to heat the nearby dockyard and naval base.