Recycling rules for North Devon
Based on North Devon published guidance · Last verified October 2026
Under Simpler Recycling, councils across England are standardising collections. Here's what currently goes in each bin in North Devon.
Search what goes in your bins →Quick answers for North Devon
Polystyrene: Usually general waste (UK-wide position)UK-wide, not council-specific
Across the UK, polystyrene is rarely collected at the kerbside and usually belongs in general waste. North Devon's published guidance we hold doesn't list it.
Cardboard: Goes in your paper & card bin
Food waste: North Devon has a separate food waste collection
Takes all cooked food, all raw food, bones and carcasses and more.
Tins and cans: Goes in your recycling bin
Clothes: Goes in your paper & card bin
Green bag.
Aerosols: Goes in your recycling bin
Your bins in North Devon, by colour
Container colours as published by North Devon. Some homes get a different container. See the notes.
Blue box
Glass bottles and jars
Black bin
General household items
What goes in each bin
Recycling
Accepted
Things that can go in your 55-litre black/green recycling box:
- Small electricals (WEEE) such as kettles and toasters · Bag on top of recycling; no larger than carrier bag
- Mixed plastics which include yoghurt pots, margarine tubs, plastic bottles and food trays, except for black plastic and plastic wrapping
- Food tins and drink cans
- Aluminium foil
- Aerosol cans
Not accepted
- Batteries · No longer collected in kerbside box
- Black plastic
Things that do not go in your black/green recycling box:
- Large items such as washing baskets or beer kegs · Damage 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 and packaging film
- Spray paint cans and paint tins (empty and full)
Food Waste
Accepted
Food waste (bin and caddy), the following items can go in the caddies:
- All cooked food
- All raw food
- Bones and carcasses
- Leftovers from plates
- Tea bags and coffee grounds
- Fruit and vegetables, including peelings
- Egg shells
Not accepted
- Wool from wool insulated packaging or any other packaging which says 'biodegradable'
Garden Waste
Accepted
The following items can go in your green wheelie bin:
- Real Christmas trees · Chopped up
- Bark
- Hedge clippings
- Grass cuttings
- Weeds
- Cut flowers
- Plants · No soil
- Windfalls
- Untreated sawdust
- Wood shavings
- Clean straw
Not accepted
- Food wasteInstead: Use the kerbside caddy
Paper & Card
Accepted
The following flattened cardboard (with packaging tape removed) and brown paper items can go in the brown bag:
- Corrugated cardboard
- Cereal boxes and cardboard food packaging · Brown bag
- Toothpaste boxes · Brown bag
- Toilet roll and kitchen roll cores · Brown bag
- Cardboard egg boxes · Brown bag
- Card sleeves from food trays · Brown bag
- Plain greetings cards (not ones with any glitter or shiny foil)
- Brown paper and envelopes
- Tetra paks and crisp tubes · Brown bag
The following items can go in the green bag:
- White or coloured paper, including shredded · Green bag; not brown paper
- White envelopes
- Newspapers, catalogues and magazines · Green bag
- Telephone books and junk mail · Green bag; no plastics
- Dry, undamaged clothes · Green bag
- Undamaged shoes · Green bag; in pairs
- Undamaged blankets and bedding sheets · Green bag
We don't have checked glass guidance for North Devon yet.
See North Devon's own guidanceWhen are bins collected in North Devon?
This page covers what goes in each bin. Collection days are set by the council and vary by street. See how to find your bin collection day, or browse streets by postcode to see schedules your neighbours have added.
Check with the council over bank holidays. See the council’s page →
In North Devon’s own words: “We collect food waste every week from the 27-litre food waste kerbside caddy at the same time as your other weekly recycling.”
No streets in North Devon on BinBosh yet — be the first to add yours, and your neighbours can adopt it instead of setting up their own.
Frequently asked questions
What bin does cardboard go in North Devon?
In North Devon, corrugated cardboard goes in your paper & card bin.
What bin does food waste go in North Devon?
In North Devon, food waste goes in your food waste bin. It takes all cooked food, all raw food, bones and carcasses and more.
What bin do tins and cans go in North Devon?
In North Devon, food tins and drink cans go in your recycling bin.
What goes in the recycling bin in North Devon?
North Devon's recycling bin accepts small electricals (weee) such as kettles and toasters, mixed plastics which include yoghurt pots, margarine tubs, plastic bottles and food trays, except for black plastic and plastic wrapping, food tins and drink cans, aluminium foil, aerosol cans, and more. Bag on top of recycling; no larger than carrier bag.
What goes in the food waste bin in North Devon?
North Devon's food waste bin accepts all cooked food, all raw food, bones and carcasses, leftovers from plates, tea bags and coffee grounds, fruit and vegetables, including peelings, and more.
What goes in the garden waste bin in North Devon?
North Devon's garden waste bin accepts real christmas trees, bark, hedge clippings, grass cuttings, weeds, cut flowers, and more. Chopped up.
What goes in the paper & card bin in North Devon?
North Devon's paper & card bin accepts corrugated cardboard, cereal boxes and cardboard food packaging, toothpaste boxes, toilet roll and kitchen roll cores, cardboard egg boxes, card sleeves from food trays, and more. Brown bag.
What can't be recycled in North Devon?
Items not accepted in North Devon: batteries, large items such as washing baskets or beer kegs, hard/rigid plastics (which do not give easily when squeezed) such as buckets, toys or storage boxes/crates, light bulbs, plant pots, cling film and packaging film. Batteries — no longer collected in kerbside box.
Helpful guides
Source: North Devon council website. Check your council's site for the latest updates.
Work for North Devon? See how BinBosh helps councils →
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