A–Z of waste materials

Wood ash is a useful addition for home composting if you have a composter. Ash would otherwise have to go in your general waste (Black sack).

This item can be recycled at a large supermarkets which has a soft plastic recycling point. Please make sure the item is cleaned of any food residue.

Local supermarket

Books soft and hard back

Charity shops or Black sack refuse

If the book is in good condition a lot of charity shops would like them. Due to the way books are constructed they cannot be recycled, please place in your black sack refuse.

Bottles (glass)

Black recycling box 2

Bottles (plastic)

Black recycling box 1

Bread bag

Local supermarket

This item can be recycled at a large supermarkets which has a soft plastic recycling point. Please make sure the item is cleaned of any food residue.

Bread maker

Green recycling box

Breakfast cereal liners

Local supermarket

Brochures

Black recycling box 2

Broken plates

Wrap in newspaper and put in your Black sack refuse

Bowl (plastic or glass)

DCC recycling centre

 These cannot be recycled at the kerbside, please take to your local recycling centre.

Broken glass

Wrap in newspaper and put in your Black sack refuse

Broken items that have sharp edges should always be wrapped in newspaper for health and safety reasons.

Brown paper

Green recycling box

Brown paper bags

Green recycling box

Bubble wrap

Local supermarket or

Black sack refuse

Bucket (plastic)

DCC recycling centre

Car Tyres can be taken to a recycling centre. However, car tyres are classed as chargeable waste and you will be charged per tyre. Commercial and agricultural vehicle tyres will not be accepted. No charge for bicycle tyres.

All cardboard can be recycled through your green recycling box, please fold or tear cardboard so that it fits within your box. Large quantities are best taken to a recycling centre.

Carpets can be taken to your local recycling centre. Carpets cannot be taken as part of your kerbside textile collection or black sack refuse.

Carrier bags and white pedal bin liners can be recycled via your black recycling box 1. Some large supermarkets also offer in store recycling banks for carrier bags. If you’re shopping is delivered to your home you can request that it is delivered without bags.

Chemicals eg. weed killers, pesticides, white spirits, bleaches, old medicines and any other household chemicals must be taken to your nearest recycling centre and they must be in a securely labelled container to be placed in the hazardous waste store. There is a limit of 5 litres.

If china is broken please wrap it carefully and place in your general waste. If the china is still useable, you could try charity shops.

Local supermarket or

Black sack refuse

Coffee pods

Black sack refuse if manufacturer doesn't offer a recycling service.

We cannot accept these in your food caddy or garden waste.

Some coffee pod manufactures do offer a coffee pod recycling service please see below.

Coffee Pods

(Nescafe)

Recycle drop off guide

Coffee Pods

(Nespresso)

Nespresso.com/recycling

Coffee Pods

(Tassimo)

Tassimo.com/recycling

Coffee machines

Green recycling box

Clean before placing in you green recycling box.

You can place any white or coloured paper, newspapers, paper directories, magazines, junk mail, and holiday brochures all into your black recycling box 2. Yellow pages can also be placed in this box. Alternatively, paper can be taken to your local recycling centre.

DIY waste generated from the repair or improvement of houses such as plasterboard, tiles, timber and rubble is classified as construction waste, and as such we do not have the duty to collect it, even if it is generated at home. DIY waste should not be put in your general waste (black sack), but can be taken to your local recycling centre. Some DIY waste materials are chargeable. Refer to Devon County Council Chargeable Waste.

Animal faeces from carnivorous animals such as cats and dogs must be disposed of in your black sack refuse, please wrap all animal waste carefully so as not to cause any unnecessary health risks.

Small electrical items can be recycled in your green recycling box.

It is illegal to pour engine oil down the drain or burn it. Engine oil from your own vehicle can be taken to a local recycling centre where it is recycled, or you can contact your local garage who may be able to take it off you.

Wood ash is a useful addition to any compost heap, so if you have one it would be best to be composted at home. We cannot accept ash in the garden waste bins due to the potential toxins in the different types and difficulties identifying the type of ash in terms of compliance monitoring.

Ash can be disposed of in your general waste, once cold if you don't have a home composter. 

Flat glass can be taken to your local recycling centre. We cannot accept this in your black recycling box due to the type of glass and for health and safety reasons.

Cut flowers can be put in your garden waste collection bin or composted at home. Alternatively cut flowers can be taken to your local recycling centre.

Fluorescent tubes are the strip lights normally found in kitchens. They are classed as hazardous waste and must be disposed of properly as they contain mercury.

Clean takeaway trays, pie trays, foil milk bottle tops etc

Please scrunch your foil together into as bigger ball as possible before placing in your recycling box.

All your food waste including cooked and uncooked scraps, tea bags, coffee grounds, fruit & veg peelings, bread, pasta, cereal, egg shells, dairy products, bones, plate scrapings, meat and fish should be placed into your kerbside food caddy. This is sent to an anaerobic digestion plant where it is converted into electricity. Food waste cannot be taken to the recycling centre.

Please clean before placing in your recycling box 

If your old appliance still works, someone else may want it. Contact Refurnish who may be able to collect it and reuse or recycle it. We can arrange for a special collection as part of our chargeable bulky waste collection for fridges or freezers. Alternatively you can take your old appliance to your local recycling centre.

All items should be clean and free of food before taking to your local supermarket.

A bulky waste collection service is available for the special collection of large domestic items such as wardrobes, beds, tables, fridge/freezers, cookers, microwaves and dishwashers (please be aware that the items must be located outside the house as we cannot allow our staff to collect items from inside your property for insurance purposes). There is a charge for this service. Alternatively, you can take your bulky waste items to your local recycling centre and some charities may be able to take your items if they are re-usable and may be able to collect your goods from you free of charge.

Small electrical items can be recycled in your green recycling box

We collect garden waste fortnightly from those that have subscribed to our garden waste collection service.

Your local recycling centre will also take garden waste, but the most environmentally friendly way to dispose of your garden waste is to compost it at home.

These should be returned to the retailer or supplier so that they can be reused. Do not place gas cylinders in your general waste because they may explode if they are crushed. Your local recycling centre is able to take them, but please ring 0345 155 1010 to confirm.

Flat glass can be taken to your nearest recycling centre. We cannot accept this as part of your kerbside recycling due to the type of glass and for health and safety reasons.

Other glass can be taken to your local recycling centre. If you have a small amount of glass e.g. from a broken bottle or drinking glass you can place this in your general waste, but please wrap the glass so it does not pose a health and safety risk to the crews.

Please contact your local police station. Household waste recycling centres cannot accept waste of this type under any circumstances. It poses a risk to site staff and members of the public. Weapons should never be destroyed or disposed of by their owners. Every weapon needs to be accounted for and the police authority that issued the certificate must be informed as to what has happened to the weapon. Unwanted section 1 ammunition can be disposed of through another authorised firearm certificate holder, Registered Firearms Dealer, your target shooting club or surrendered at any police station.

Hardcore and rubble can be taken to your nearest recycling centre. These items are chargeable so please contact Devon County Council who manage these sites.

You cannot take animal waste to recycling centres in Mid Devon. We can collect this kind of waste with your normal domestic refuse providing this is of domestic quantities.

Examples of hazardous waste likely to come from a household are car batteries, engine oil, garden chemicals, bleach or other strong cleaners/disinfectants, asbestos, gas bottles and solvents (including paint strippers/thinners). This list is not definitive, and if you have particular concerns about a type of waste you can contact the Environment Agency. All recycling centres will accept these items provided they are from households, except for asbestos (see A for Asbestos info).

Please place hoover dust in your black sack waste for disposal, or compost if you have home composter.

Chemicals e.g. weed killers, pesticides, white spirits, bleaches, old medicines and other household chemicals can be disposed of at your local recycling centre. They must be in a securely labelled container and be placed in the hazardous waste store. Limit 5 litres.

Re-use jars where possible, e.g. for preserving food or as containers for small items such as pins or screws. Jars can be recycled along with other glass in black recycling box 2 (rinsed with lids, please).

Please place junk mail in black recycling box 2 (please remove any plastic wrapping, but plastic windows can be left in). 

Alternatively, find out how you can stop receiving junk mail at Recycle Devon Junk Mail Getting You Down.

All your food waste including cooked and uncooked scraps, tea bags, coffee grounds, fruit and vegetable peelings, bread, pasta, cereals, egg shells, dairy products, bones, plate scrapings, meat and fish should be placed into your food waste caddy. This is sent to an anaerobic digestion plant where it is converted into electricity. Food waste cannot be taken to recycling centre.

There are three main kinds of household light bulb; old-style filament bulbs, energy-saving bulbs (CFLs), and LEDs. None of these can be recycled alongside glass, but can be brought to either a recycling centre. Some energy-saving light bulbs contain small amounts of mercury, so these should be recycled wherever possible. LED bulbs last longest, have the smallest environmental impact, and don't contain dangerous chemicals.

 Medicine bottles

(plastic)

Any unused medicines should be returned to your local chemist or pharmacy. Do not pass them on to other people.

Any unused medicines should be returned to your local chemist or pharmacy. Do not pass them on to other people.

Return to local chemist or pharmacy, if you are unable to your local recycling centre except Chemicals, e.g. old medicines and other household chemicals which can be disposed of at your local recycling centre. They must be in a securely labelled container to be placed in the hazardous waste store. There is a limit of 5 litres. Alternatively, you can return them to your local chemist or pharmacy.

Empty aerosol cans, drinks cans, and food tins should be put in black recycling box 1. Many metals can be re-used by the scrap metal industry. Either contact a local scrap merchant or take to your local recycling centre.

We can collect mobile phones in your green recycling box (please place them out on a dry day in a plastic bag not black in colour). Alternatively, mobile phones can be recycled at one of many take back schemes.

Disposable nappies should be placed in your general waste. If you have to use disposable nappies, choose ones that are dioxin free and/or unbleached (this should be marked on the packaging). A better alternative is to use ‘Real Nappies’ which can be reused over and over again.

We offer a weekly clinical waste collection service for sharps. Needles are hazardous to those that come into contact with them so cannot be collected with your general waste. To arrange a clinical waste collection please go to middevon.gov.uk/clinical-waste

You can recycle any white coloured paper, newspapers, white paper directories, magazines, junk mail, and holiday brochures in black recycling box 2.

Night storage heaters will only be accepted at recycling centres which accept asbestos and these sites will only accept full appliances. Night storage heaters must be double wrapped in tough plastic and sealed. Night storage heaters are classified as WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) and are accepted free of charge.

Pouring oil down the drain is not only illegal but also harmful to humans and the environment. A lot of surface water drains lead to the nearest stream and oil may cause pollution, affect aquatic life and contaminate water supplies. It is also harmful to put oil in the soil or in sewers. Your local recycling centre can take oil and harmful chemicals as long as they are bottled and clearly marked. It is best to ring  Devon County Council on 0345 155 1010 (who manage the sites) first to check the item is accepted at your nearest recycling centre, as some do vary.

Paints, varnishes and wood stains can contain hazardous chemicals or solvents including heavy metals. Paint must not be poured down the drain. Local community groups, playgroups or charities will often welcome donations of useable paints. Many DIY superstores will take back unwanted paint, call them to check. Unwanted paint can be taken to any recycling centre. Please firmly attach the lid to prevent leakage.　Please make the site staff aware that you are leaving paint.

By using recycled paper and recycling waste paper you will help to protect our environment. You can recycle any white coloured paper, shredded paper, newspapers, white paper directories (including Yellow Pages), magazines, junk mail, and holiday brochures in black recycling box 2.

Chemicals including weed killers, pesticides, white spirits, bleaches, old medicines and other household chemicals can be disposed of at your local recycling centre. These must be in a securely labelled container to be placed in the hazardous waste store. Limit 5 litres.

Photos cannot be recycled and need to be disposed of in your black sack refuse.

Unfortunately, these items cannot be recycled and need to be disposed of in your black sack refuse or the general waste area of your local recycling centre

We accept all different colours of plastic plant pots but no larger than 5 litres please, if you have larger plastic plant pots you can take these to your local recycling centre.

Plasterboard can be taken to a recycling centre, but please call Devon County Council on 0345 155 1010 (who manage the sites) or visit Devon.gov.uk/wasteandrecycling, to check whether the recycling centre you would like to use accepts plasterboard.

White pedal bin liners and non black carrier bags can be recycled via your black recycling box 1. Some large supermarkets also offer in store recycling banks for carrier bags. If you’re shopping is delivered to your home you can request that it is delivered without bags. Alternatively, you could reuse plastic carrier bags as bin liners for your general waste or separating your recycling within your recycling boxes.

Plastic bottles can be recycled in black recycling box 1.

You can take plastic windows/ doors, with or without glass, to your nearest recycling centre. However, there is a charge.

You can take up to 5 lengths/pieces (approximately 2 metres per length or part thereof) to your nearest recycling centre. However, there is a charge.

Polystyrene should be placed in your general waste. If expanded polystyrene is part of the packaging of electrical appliances, you can ask at the time the appliance is delivered if the company can take back the packaging to be reused or recycled.

Playgroups and schools may want postcards for play materials, and many charity shops sell them on.

Postcards can be recycled along with other cardboard in the green recycling box. Please make sure there are no cards with glitter or embellishments as they are not recyclable and should be put in your black sack refuse.

Printer cartridges and toners can be recycled in your green recycling box, please place inside a carrier bag to stop ink leaking into the environment.

Radiators can be taken to your local recycling centre, or reclamation yard if of classic style and re-usable.

Small electrical items can be recycled in your green recycling box.

Please wrap if blades are not concealed before placing in black sack refuse.

You can donate these to hospital radio stations; playgroups, schools and charity shops may also be interested. Unwanted CDs can be reused as drinks coasters, or make excellent scarecrows if hung shiny side up, as the reflected light from the CDs scares the birds. Unfortunately there is no way to recycle tapes, records or CDs, so unless they can be reused, they are to go in your black sack refuse.

Can be taken to your nearest recycling centre but you will be charged.

Rubble and hardcore can be taken to your nearest recycling centre, however you will be charged.

Many metals can be re-used by the scrap metal industry.　Either contact a local scrap merchant or take to your local recycling centre.

We operate a clinical waste collection service for sharps.

Clothes and textiles can be taken to your local recycling centre or charity shop if reusable. Alternatively, pairs of shoes can be placed in a carrier bag, tied up and put next to or in black recycling box 2 on your collection day.

Shredded paper should be placed in black recycling box 2 along with all other paper waste, but please put this in a clear bag to stop it blowing everywhere.

Household electrical items can be taken to your local recycling centre. Many electrical retailers also offer a take back service when purchasing a new item - please ask in store. If you unable to get to a recycling centre or the retailer doesn't offer a take back service you can place in your black sack refuse.

Soil can be taken to your nearest recycling centre. However, this is chargeable.

Many metals can be re-used by the scrap metal industry. Either contact a local scrap metal merchant or take to your local recycling centre.

If the item is still usable, it could either be sold on or donated to a charity shop. Most electrical items have a symbol of a crossed-out wheelie bin on them - these items should not be put in your general waste. If the item is beyond repair, we offer a chargeable bulky collection service or you can take it to a recycling centre.

Night storage heaters will only be accepted at recycling centres which accept asbestos and these sites will only accept full appliances. Night storage heaters must be double wrapped in tough plastic and sealed. Night storage heaters are classified as WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) and are accepted free of charge.

If the item is still usable, it could either be sold on or donated to a charity shop. Most electrical items have a symbol of a crossed-out wheelie bin on them - these items should not be put in your general waste. If the item is beyond repair you can arrange a bulky waste collection this is a chargeable service or you can take it to your local recycling centre.

Clothes and textiles can be put in a carrier bag, tied up and left next to or in your black recycling box 2 on your usual recycling collection day.

Timber cannot be recycled as part of the kerbside collection scheme, it should ideally be reused or taken to your local recycling centre.

Food and drinks tins can be recycled in black recycling box 1. We do not accept paint tins as part of the kerbside collection service please dispose of these at your local recycling centre.

Tissues are to go in with your black sack refuse.

Toner cartridges for laser printers, plain paper fax machines and photocopiers can be returned to companies for cleaning, refilling and reuse. We collect print cartridges and toners in your green recycling box (please make sure they are placed in a carrier bag not black in colour.)

Check to see if toys in good condition are wanted by charity shops, children's homes, play schools, hospitals and jumble sales. If they are broken, they should be put in your black sack refuse. Plastic toys cannot be recycled at the kerbside.

White and brown wrapping paper can be placed in your green recycling box as long as it not glittery or metallic paper.