What goes in your bin, box or bag?

A guide for what you should put in your bins, boxes, caddies and bags

Green or black (recycling) box

black recycling box

You can have up to two green/black recycling boxes. You can request boxes online or phone 01271 374776.

Things that can go in your black/green recycling box:

  • Small waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) such as kettles, toasters and mobile phones. Loose cables (mobile phone and computer cables) can also be recycled. Items should be no larger than a standard-sized carrier bag. Please place in a bag on top of your recycling
  • Mixed plastics which include yoghurt pots, margarine tubs, plastic bottles and food trays, except for black plastic
  • Food tins and drink cans
  • Aluminum foil
  • Aerosol cans 
  • Plastic bottles - ensure you wash, squash/crush these and put the caps back on them

Things that do not go in your black/green recycling box:

  • Large items such as washing baskets, water carriers or beer kegs. These will damage our recycling machinery
  • Hard/rigid plastics (which do not give easily when squeezed) such as buckets, toys or storage boxes/crates
  • Light bulbs, plant pots, cling film, tetra paks and packaging film. This includes cellophane, sweet wrappers and crisp packets
  • Products using black plastic 

Large electrical items such as TVs, vacuum cleaners, fridges, cookers, washing machines can be taken to Devon County Council’s recycling centres.

If you prefer, you can arrange for a bulky waste collection, where we will collect your larger item from the kerbside. Please note, there is a charge for this service. 

Black plastic

Unfortunately we are unable to accept black plastic in your recycling.  Though the plastic may have a recycling symbol, it is not currently possible to effectively sort black plastic from other materials at a recycling facility.

In accordance with guidelines from the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), we have had to take the decision that we won’t collect black plastic with your recycling. Read more about WRAP’s quest to get retailers to use detectable black colourants in their black plastic products.