Waste and Recycling FAQs
You can find the answers to some commonly asked questions about our waste and recycling service below.
How do I check my collection day?
How do I report a missed collection?
How do I contact the waste team?
Will you collect my side waste/additional garden waste?
The collection crews will only collect the number of garden waste sacks for your current garden waste subscription on your collection day. If you have side waste this will need to wait until you have an empty sack to refill or be taken to your local Recycling Centres:
Both recycling centres located in West Devon, operated by Devon County Council, take garden waste. Full details, including opening hours, can be found here.
Other options to dispose of your garden waste:
You must not put garden waste in your refuse sacks. Instead, please try one of the options below:
- Compost your garden waste - here are some compost tips. Please don't put garden waste in your refuse bin.
- Use the Recycling Centres: Both recycling centres located in West Devon, operated by Devon County Council, take garden waste. Full details, including opening hours, can be found here
- Use a licensed waste collector who will responsibly take away your garden or household waste items. As a resident, please check the business holds a waste carriers licence, which they will provide on request.
Please do not burn your garden waste. The Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service firmly advises against having bonfires, given the risks of fires spreading, the likely nuisance for neighbours and the potential diversion of emergency services.
My collection has been missed and I have no space to store my recycling, what shall I do?
All missed collections need to be logged online. Please use the button below:
You can take excess recycling to your local Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC). You can find your nearest recycling centre including opening times on the Devon County Council website.
How do I dispose of broken glass?
Please do not place broken glass loose in your recycling containers as it may harm our recycling crews.
Broken glass should be placed securely in a cardboard box or empty plastic tub, such as a butter or ice cream tub.
Please label it clearly and put on top of your refuse sack to make it visible and safe for our crews.
What do I do with items you can't collect?
If you need to dispose of items which can't be collected in the containers or sacks, please take it to the Household Waste Recycling Centre.
Please use the button below to find your nearest centre.
How do I dispose of a large amount of cardboard?
Please see How our collections work to find out what you can put in the containers.
Cardboard must be free of dirt, food or paint. Dirty or greasy cardboard (such as takeaway pizza boxes) should go in your black sacks.
Pieces of cardboard can be placed alongside Box 2 if your box is full, as long as they are under 70 cm long.
If your cardboard is larger than 70 cm long, please take it to your local Household Waste Recycling Centre. These centres are managed by Devon County Council.
Private Waste Collectors
We are aware that there are independent companies coming forward to take garden waste away for people who may be unable to take to the Recycling centres themselves. These are not contracted through West Devon Borough Council and we strongly suggest checking that any company you use has a registered waste carriers licence before handing over your waste. This is the householder's responsibility to check these details first.
You can check if they are registered by searching for their details on the Environment Agency's Register of waste carriers, brokers and dealers.
Any bona fide waste carrier will show you a certificate or authorisation card proving they are a registered carrier.
We recommend that you do not engage with anyone who comes knocking on your door for a cash deal to take away your waste unless you are able to verify the above requirements. As a resident you are responsible for your waste, if it is fly-tipped by yourself or a third party, you can be prosecuted/fined for failing to carry out the relevant check and control of your waste.
If you do, we advise that you get a receipt and make a note of the registration number of the vehicle taking your waste.
Remember, if you transfer waste to an unauthorised waste carrier and the waste is then fly tipped, you may then be liable to prosecution.