Exeter City Council Waste and Recycling Information

In this section, residents living in Exeter can find information on recycling and refuse collections in their area.

Find out what your collection days are here.

Find out about household bulky waste collections here.

If you have missed your refuse/recycling collection, please contact Exeter Customer Services Centre on 01392 265010 or report a missed collection online here.

For more information regarding refuse and recycling in Exeter, please click here.

What can I recycle?

It is easier, quicker and safer for Exeter’s workers to sort materials if items are not ‘bagged up’ in your recycling container.

Green bin

• Drink cans (empty)
• Food tins (empty)
• Aerosols (empty)
• Biscuit tins and lids
• Aluminium foil
• Puree tubes (leave lids on)
• Plastic bottles – including household cleaning product bottles (empty, with the lids on)
• Plastic food containers (empty)
• Some soft plastics, including polythene or plastic film and wrap (including bubble wrap) – find out more about the acceptable types of soft plastics here.
• Newspapers and magazines
• Cardboard
• Junk mail and envelopes (remove plastic wrapper from junk mail and put it into your container separately)
• Carrier bags
• Catalogues
• Phone directories

Please note that we do not accept shredded paper for recycling.

Grey bin

Your grey bin should contain any waste that is generated from daily living that cannot go into the recycling bin.

This includes nappies and incontinence products.

Food waste can be put into your grey bin if you are not able to compost at home.

Broken glass, including mirror glass should be double wrapped.

Glass bottle and jars are the only exception and should be taken to the recycling banks located across the city.

Examples of items that are not considered part of daily living and should not go into the grey bin are:

• Small electrical items, such as kettles, toasters and irons
• Used household batteries
• Waste resulting in DIY projects such as plaster board and replaced fixtures and fittings
• Garden waste – please do not put this into your grey bin

Food waste

Exeter City Council have started to introduce food waste collections – please click here for more information about this service.

Garden waste bins and biodegradable sacks

Optional, chargeable service.

• Flowers and plants
• Grass cuttings
• Leaves and bark
• Prunings
• Hedge trimmings
• Small branches

For prices and more information on the garden waste service, please click here.