Recycling help on hand in East Devon

Recycling road shows are being held in Feniton and Exmouth (The Colony) over the next few weeks to help householders with the new improved recycling collection service which is being trialled in these areas by East Devon District Council from mid-September.

Recycling officers will be on hand to explain the trial where, for the first time, residents will be able to recycle cardboard and mixed plastics which will be collected from the kerbside every week along with their food waste. The officers will also be able to help householders with any questions they may have on what else they can recycle.

The first road show is being held on Saturday August 22 at the Sports and Social Club in Feniton from 11am to 2pm. The road show moves to the Imperial Recreation Ground in Exmouth the following week on Saturday August 29, again from 11am to 2pm.

Around 1,800 households will be taking part in the trials and and will receive an additional 70 litre reusable sack which they can use for extra recyclables  along with their usual green recycling box before their first collection.

As residents will be able to recycle more in their weekly collection, they will produce less waste to go in their grey wheeled bin which will(can?) then be collected every three weeks instead of every two weeks.

The council is carrying out the trials to help prepare for the new recycling and waste contract next year.

Cllr Iain Chubb, the council’s portfolio holder for the Environment, said that the roadshows were an ideal opportunity for residents to talk to officers about the trials.

“We want to help people with the trials and listen to what they have to say. Our officers have a great deal of experience in how we can all improve our recycling and minimise the waste we throw away.”

From mid- September residents in the trial areas will be able to recycle:

• Cardboard - Printed card, egg boxes, inner tubes from toilet and kitchen rolls, brown cardboard boxes, card from packaging such as toys and electrical goods, all cardboard food packaging (cereal packets, cardboard sleeves)
• Mixed plastics - Margarine and ice cream tubs, yoghurt pots and food packaging e.g. meat & veg trays.
• Plastic bottles – Milk containers, drinks, cleaning and product bottles
• Textiles - Clothes, sheets and blankets, curtains and towels
• Glass – Glass bottles, glass jars
• Household batteries
• Paper – Newspapers and magazines, bagged shredded paper, junk mail/envelopes, writing paper
• Metals – Food and drink cans, pet food cans, foil wrap and trays
• Empty aerosols
• Food waste - Fruit and vegetable peelings, cooked food, uncooked food, meat and fish, plate scrapings, tea and coffee grounds, cat and dog food.

Information on the trials is available on the council’s website – www.eastdevon.gov.uk – and includes a list of frequently asked questions.