Excellent start to new recycling trials

Residents in new Feniton who are taking part in East Devon District Council’s recycling scheme collected almost 80% more recyclables in the first week of the trials for the area.

Since September 16, householders in around 900 homes have, for the first time, been able to recycle cardboard and mixed plastics along with their usual extensive number of other recyclables including glass, metals, paper, plastic bottles, textiles and food waste. All the recycling is being collected weekly at the kerbside by East Devon District Council contractors.

The first collection of the new recyclables for new Feniton was last Wednesday and 5.2 tonnes of recycling was collected – an extra 2.3 tonnes compared to the previous week.
The trials are being carried out in the village and in Exmouth (The Colony) where a further 900 households are also taking part. The first collection of recycling in The Colony saw a 60% increase in recycling.

Cllr Iain Chubb, the council’s portfolio holder for the Environment, said the first recycling collections for the new trial were ‘excellent.’

He said: “The residents in both areas have completely embraced the recycling message and are doing brilliantly. We’re very grateful to them for taking the time and making such a huge effort.”

Residents in new Feniton are reminded that only those who have received direct mail from the council’s recycling team about the trial are able to put out the extra recyclables of cardboard and mixed plastics.

As residents are able to recycle more for collection every week, it’s expected that they will throw away less bulky waste in their grey wheeled bin which will then be collected every three weeks instead of every two weeks.

For Exmouth (The Colony), the first collection of the grey wheeled bins under the new scheme will be Thursday (October 1). The first waste collection of the grey wheeled bins under the new scheme for new Feniton will be Wednesday October 7.
The council has a dedicated team of officers who are out and about in both trial areas, talking to householders, advising them on how they can reduce their waste and recycle more, while gathering information on how the trials are progressing.

Andrew Hancock, the council’s service lead for Street Scene, said: “We’re here to help our residents in any way we can with the trials. If people are struggling, then please call us and we can assist.”

Information on the trials is available on the council’s website – eastdevon.gov.uk – and includes a list of frequently asked questions, and top tips on how to recycle effectively. For residents who need assistance, the council’s recycling team can be contacted on 01395 571515 or email csc@eastdevon.gov.uk You can follow East Devon District Council on social media through twitter @eastdevon or facebook /eastdevon

The council also has a really useful smart phone app which will send reminders about recycling and waste collection days tailored to your own address. The East Devon mobile app is free and is available to download for iphone users from the Apple App Store and for Android smart phone users from the Google Play Store.