FAQ - General

I don’t have any containers, how do I get them?
Do I have to use containers provided by the council?
My bin/box wasn't collected.
When/where do I need to put out my containers for collection?
Why can't the Council take plastic packaging like food trays and yoghurt pots?
Why doesn't the Council recycle cardboard?
Why did the Council choose plastic bottles to recycle instead of cardboard?
What should I do with my garden waste?
What is the Council doing about packaging from supermarkets?
Does the recycling really get recycled?
How do I recycle items that I can't leave at the kerbside?
Doesn't the Council have to collect my non-recyclable waste every week?
Waste isn't my problem: It's the Council's job.
Will I be fined if I put the wrong item in the wrong box/bin?
I am elderly / disabled and am unable to put the bin and/or box out for collection.
The containers are too big/too small
I have a child in nappies, what should I do with the nappies?
What if my containers are damaged?
Can I get rid of my waste by burning it?
What will happen to the wheeled bin if I move house?
Why does the lid have to be completely closed?
Will I be able to leave out additional waste as well as that contained in my wheeled bin?
What if my wheeled bin is full before my next collection is due?
Would leaving waste in a wheeled bin for up to 14 days cause health hazards?
What about smells, bugs, germs, vermin and flies?
Will the bin have identity ‘chips’ put in them?
Do I need to separate out the materials in my boxes?
Can I put broken glass in the recycling boxes?
I don’t want to buy the compostable liners, what else can I use?

I don’t have any containers, how do I get them?

Each property is entitled to a standard 180 litre wheeled bin, a green recycling box, and indoor food caddy and an outdoor food caddy. If you do not have any of these containers please contact our Customer Service Team who can order them for you.

Do I have to use containers provided by the council?

Refuse will not be collected unless presented in an East Devon District Council container, if you are struggling with capacity please contact our Customer Service Team to discuss your needs. Recycling can be presented in a green recycling box issued by the council. If you have excess recycling you can place recycling out in carrier bags or a box no bigger than the green box.

My bin/box wasn't collected.

If your waste has not been collected on the due day you can report it within 48 hours via our online missed refuse collection form or our online missed recycling/food collection form. Alternatively you can report it to our Customer Service Team . The crew will return and collect the landfill waste or recycling that has been missed within 2 working days.

Please note: Domestic refuse/recycling collections not made due to bad weather, vehicle breakdown, national fuel shortages or similar will be collected the following day where possible.

When/where do I need to put out my containers for collection?

Your green recycling box and blue food caddy will be collected weekly and your landfill container will be collected fortnightly. Please visit My Neighbourhood and type in your postcode, this will tell you when your next collection is. Please place the containers at the boundary of your property for collection unless alternative arrangements have been made with the Waste Management Team.

Why can't the Council take plastic packaging like food trays and yoghurt pots?

We only collect materials that we are able to pass on to available reprocessors. Most plastic reprocessors only accept plastic that is bottle shaped as these are made from a high grade of plastic which is easy to recycle and sell on. The majority of plastic trays and other pots are a lower grade or blend of plastics which are not as good to recycle and have very low value. The Waste & Recycling Partnership Board are looking into collecting mixed plastics at present and intend to add this to the kerbside collection within the next eighteen months. Once it has been set up we will communicate this to residents. Until then, you can take other plastics to your nearest recycling centre.

Why doesn't the Council recycle cardboard?

At present we are up to capacity on our collection vehicles so unable to collect cardboard. If you are able to, please take cardboard to your nearest recycling centre. The Waste & Recycling Partnership Board are looking at alternatives for providing recycling facilities for cardboard however this is reliant on finance which at present we do not have. This will be reviewed when we upgrade our vehicles.

Why did the Council choose plastic bottles to recycle instead of cardboard?

Both materials are lightweight and bulky so we could only take one dry material. Cardboard and plastics can be taken to the recycling centres and reused however cardboard can also be composted but if it has to go in the landfill it decomposes much quicker than plastic.

What should I do with my garden waste?

We don’t collect garden waste on the kerbside so ask residents to take to the recycling centres if possible. East Devon District Council are in partnership Otter Rotters, a community run organisation that will collect garden waste from the kerbside from Axminster, Budleigh Salterton, Colyford, Colyton, Dunkeswell, Exmouth, Feniton, Honiton, Newton Poppleford, Ottery St Mary, Payhembury, Seaton, Sidbury, Sidford, Sidmouth, Talaton, Tipton St John, West Hill, and Whimple. They intend to extend this service further in the future. For more information please visit Otter Rotters website.

What is the Council doing about packaging from supermarkets?

The Council has asked all supermarkets within the East Devon District to take action to reduce the amount of packaging which they generate. The Government and other organisations are placing pressure on supermarkets and other multi-national organisations and so many of them have now signed up to the Courtauld Commitment to reduce packaging significantly in the future. There is also a requirement that supermarkets recycle their own waste and there are significant penalties if they do not achieve the targets set.

Does the recycling really get recycled?

Yes. To see where items go and what they are recycled into please see our information on ‘where my recycling goes’.

How do I recycle items that I can't leave at the kerbside?

There are nearly 30 recycling banks for textiles, foil, shoes, books, tins, cans, glass and paper located around the district. Tetra Pak-type cartons, plastic packaging and cardboard and much more can be recycled at your local recycling centre.

Doesn't the Council have to collect my non-recyclable waste every week?

No. The Council has a duty to make arrangements to collect household waste. The law does not specify how these arrangements must be made and the frequency that the service has to be provided. Each household will continue to receive a weekly collection although the materials that are collected would be different each week.  One week it will be food waste and dry recyclables, the next week it will be food waste, dry recyclables and landfill waste.

Waste isn't my problem: It's the Council's job.

It is the Council's job to collect household waste however we ask that all residents take responsibility for the waste they generate. The Council is required by law to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill and recycling as much as possible. We are all responsible for generating waste and must all learn to deal with it in a responsible way. If you would like to help play your part and reduce what is going to landfill even more please see our tips page!

Will I be fined if I put the wrong item in the wrong box/bin?

No. Our first priority is to encourage the residents of East Devon to help us to reduce our landfill waste and recycle more. Please see our list of items to recycle. If you are unsure please contact our Customer Service Team who can help with any questions you might have.

I am elderly / disabled and am unable to put the bin and/or box out for collection.

The council recognises that, for some people, putting wheelie bins / recycling boxes out for collection is outside their capability. Therefore, an assisted service is provided for the infirm and disabled following an assessment form being completed by the resident to confirm genuine need.

Assistance will not be provided if there is an able bodied person living at a property. Householders who currently receive assistance will continue to do so under the new service which will be reviewed every 2 years. Please contact Customer Service if you would like assistance with your waste/recycling collections and they will send you a form to be completed, or you can apply for an assisted collection using our online request assisted collection form.

Smaller wheeled bins are also available if you prefer.

The containers are too big/too small

We have 3 sizes of wheeled bin and each property is primarily issued the medium sized bin. Please contact the Customer Service Team to request the smaller or larger bin. If you request to larger bin you will be sent an application form to complete and once returned will be assessed by our Waste Management Officers. You can also have up to 3 recycling boxes and food caddies.

I have a child in nappies, what should I do with the nappies?

The average baby from birth to potty could fill a standard sized car with the amount of disposable nappies they get through! Have you considered reusable nappies? Trial kits are available for East Devon residents so you can try to different varieties to see which you like best, for more information visit our Real Nappies page. We can also consider a larger capacity bin for a temporary period, please contact our Customer Service Team.

What if my containers are damaged?

Any damage to your bin should be reported to the Customer Service Team. We will replace the wheeled bin free of charge if genuinely damaged when being emptied. Householders will be responsible for replacing bins that are willfully damaged.

Can I get rid of my waste by burning it?

Burning of waste can be classed as a statutory nuisance under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 section 83, if found guilty you could be fined up to £20,000.  By using the recycling containers provided and bagging you refuse in the bin you shouldn’t have the need to burn any waste.

What will happen to the wheeled bin if I move house?

The bin remains the property of the Council, should stay with the property and should not be taken away when you move.  If you are moving to another property in East Devon and have special arrangements set up with us please let us know and we can transfer these to you new property.

Why does the lid have to be completely closed?

Following a safety issue with the emptying of the wheeled bins it has been agreed the crew will not empty a wheeled bin if the lid is not completely closed. If you are struggling with the capacity of the bin allocated to you please contact Customer Services and we can discuss alternative options.

Will I be able to leave out additional waste as well as that contained in my wheeled bin?

No. Only the waste contained in your East Devon wheeled bin with the lid closed will be collected. Any residual waste left out in bags alongside or on top of your bin would not be collected. If you are struggling with the capacity of the bin allocated to you please contact Customer Services and we can discuss alternative options.

What if my wheeled bin is full before my next collection is due?

If you use the receptacles provided by the Council for all your recyclable or compostable materials, there should be plenty of room in your wheelie bin for the remaining non-recyclable waste. If you are struggling with the capacity of the bin allocated to you please contact Customer Services and we can discuss alternative options.

Would leaving waste in a wheeled bin for up to 14 days cause health hazards?

No. From other councils’ experience, it has not been proven that this type of collection service causes health hazards. Concerns regarding bin smells, flies and vermin are unfounded as long as basic housekeeping rules are followed and the lids on bins are kept closed.

 Collecting food separately will mean that the vast majority of potentially ‘smelly’ waste that could attract insects will still be removed weekly, as it is now. Bin lids should always be closed to stop flies getting in and, if possible, you should store your bin out of direct sunlight in a shaded area.  If you dispose of pet faeces in your refuse, place in a securely tied plastic bag before disposing of it.

What about smells, bugs, germs, vermin and flies?

If the food waste container is kept clean and locked (handle in forward position) there should be no problem with smells, vermin or flies.  There is no evidence from other council schemes that operate across the country that there is any risk to health it depends on residents being responsible and wrapping food waste, keeping the bin lid closed and keeping the bin clean there should be no problem with smells, vermin or flies.

Will the bin have identity ‘chips’ put in them?

Computer chips can be a costly process and we have decided not to follow this course of action. The scheme we are currently running is working very well and the amount of landfill waste that is being collected is being reduced significantly. We would prefer to continue encouraging residents to recycle.

Do I need to separate out the materials in my boxes?

All the different materials are sorted at the kerbside manually into separate compartments.  We ask that plastic bottles are squashed and containers are rinsed before going into box.

Can I put broken glass in the recycling boxes?

No. The contents of the boxes are sorted at the kerbside manually by the crew they risk injury if there is broken glass in the boxes. Please wrap in newspaper and put in the landfill bin.

I don’t want to buy the compostable liners, what else can I use?

You can wrap the food in newspaper or kitchen towel. We cannot accept food that is in carrier bags (even if biodegradable), black bin liners, foil or plastic wrapping. The food is heat treated and the temperature used to break down the food waste isn’t hot enough to work through plastics.

Page last updated on 26 August 2011