What you may not know about recycling in Devon - Recycle Week 2024

Did you know that Devon has maintained its position as having the second highest recycling rate in the country? - According to a recent Devon County Council post.

However that doesn’t mean that we cannot improve by ensuring that we separate waste for both kerbside collections and recycle centre visits plus changing some consumer habits. 

Is recycling the answer?

No! The only real solution to combat the world's plastic crisis is to reduce/eliminate the amount of plastic that is produced in the first place. Currently the demand for plastic is increasing making it ever more important to demand for change. An overhaul in our infrastructure towards a circular economy is needed  - a good start would be to demand a producer pays model!

Our current economic system is designed for us to buy more and avoiding plastic in, for example, your weekly shop is very difficult which is why it is really important that we recycle. However avoiding unnecessary single use plastics is a way to reduce what is used/purchased in the first place.

Recycle Week 2024

Recycle Week 2024 is a national campaign focussing on rescuing recyclable items from heading to the rubbish bin. 

Most of us in 2024 recycle items in some shape or form and, depending on where we live, have kerbside recycling facilities for everyday items. The aim of the Boots and Tesco sponsored Recycle Week 2024 is to create more inspiration and to think deeper into our recycling habits, thereby hoping to build a nation where recycling is the norm and to make a better world for future generations. 

Your challenge is to find just one extra item on its way to the bin and work out how to recycle it…

But why recycle at all? 

By recycling we can reduce the need for landfill space, the toxic implications of incinerating rubbish (it’s been reported recently that it is more toxic than burning coal) and more costly forms of disposal. Equally we can help tackle climate change by reducing the need to extract, refine and process raw materials, which uses energy and contributes to substantial air and water pollution on our planet.

What can I recycle?

Not sure what else you can recycle? Here are a few ideas to get you started…

WE ARE AWARE THIS IS NOT AN EXTENSIVE LIST

We are in the process of compiling a more comprehensive guide - Can you help?

Many items such as cosmetics and inhalers aren’t included, but you may have some existing knowledge of where these and other items can be recycled locally, if so, please get in touch at info@plasticfreenorthdevon.org

Your guide to recycling in North Devon

Did you know this simple recycling tool existed?...

To make it easy for you in the future there is a great ‘one-stop recycle shop’ website Recycle Now with a wealth of information at your fingertips! Please note that this isn’t perfect - as above, please get in touch if you have some knowledge that we can include in our upcoming guide.

Just tap in your postcode and the item you hope to recycle and locate your nearest North Devon recycling hub for that item. …

See what you can recycle in Devon 

We want to share where other recycling options beyond your kerbside recycling are…

Have you seen a make up recycling point or asthmas inhaler recycling box? Let us know where. We need your help with a list of where you can recycle certain items.

Please contribute by sending us your knowledge at info@plasticfreenorthdevon.org

Here are some we already know about….

Electrical Cables

According to latest research, in the UK we bin or stash away 627 million cables – enough to go to the moon AND BACK!  

This week to coincide with Recycle week, you can also have a good clear out of all those cables and unused chargers from the ‘drawer of doom’ and participate in International E-Waste Day as well! !

 IF 1 MILLION OF US ALL RECYCLED ONE CABLE, WE COULD SAVE AT LEAST 5,000KG OF COPPER FROM GOING TO WASTE!! 

Find out more 

Soft Plastics - recycle at most supermarkets

You may have seen the recent news about the life of soft plastic packaging (read below)… We still encourage you to recycle this at the supermarket but please be aware that the system is flawed.

Try to avoid purchasing any single use plastics in the first place if possible. If you do then make sure it is recycled.

The Truth about Soft Plastics and Supermarkets investigation

Everyday Plastic and the Environmental Investigation Agency tracked soft plastic packaging waste collected for recycling. They discovered that 70% of the soft plastic that reached a known destination was burnt, not recycled and the rest ended up at recycling facilities (some overseas) that downcycle soft plastic waste into lower value products. Whilst not the greatest of news, this sparks a need for a call to action and to question why we are forced to buy items in these containers and soft plastic packaging in the first place. At PFND we realise that whilst the option to have a vegetable delivery box or shop locally for unwrapped produce in smaller shops is a positive one, we also realise that this is not in everybody’s cost or time remit. Bigger changes need to be made, so if you want to support this then get signing….

Help tackle this broken system by signing the petition to cut plastic production

Sign this petition to support the cut in plastic production


Reduce, reduce, reduce!

Is recycling the answer?

At PFND we strongly feel that changing our consumer habits alongside recycling is probably the best answer in an attempt to reduce the amount that needs to be recycled in the first place. When you are swamped with items that simply shouldn’t go to landfill or to be incinerated, why not find a genius way to repurpose them? Or get them fixed at one of our amazing Repair Cafes!

Check out our What’s On page to find a Repair Cafe near you!