City councils in Devon are working hard to implement food waste recycling for everyone by April 2026. Currently, Plymouth lacks this service altogether, while Exeter offers it to just over half of its residents. Interesting to note, east Devon has been recycling food waste since 2012.
The UK government is pushing this initiative. They’ve mandated that all councils provide food waste recycling by 2026.
In Exeter, Labor councillor Ruth Williams mentioned that as of now, 58% of residents can recycle their food waste. Plans for the service began in 2019. Delays, largely due to the pandemic and driver shortages, have slowed progress. However, the council is optimistic after announcing an £8 million investment in recycling infrastructure.
Williams stated, “We’re rolling it out stage by stage to provide the best service at the best price.” They aim to meet the March 31 deadline, with new collection trucks on order.
The leader of the Green Party in Exeter, Diana Moore, expressed concern about how long the process has taken. She pointed out that unrecycled waste often ends up in incinerators, which harms air quality and costs the council money. Moore emphasized the importance of sticking to the promise of providing food waste recycling to every home, including city center flats.
In Plymouth, the city council plans to spend nearly £2 million from a government grant to set up the necessary infrastructure for food waste recycling. They aim to distribute caddies to all 123,000 households and bins for 29,000 flats and shared houses. The food collected will be processed in an anaerobic digestion facility, producing renewable energy and fertilizer.
A report revealed that Plymouth’s service could realistically launch in spring 2026, depending on procurement timelines.
As the government pushes to standardize recycling systems across England, it highlights the need for a unified approach to waste management, making it easier for residents and better for the environment. Cities are recognizing the many benefits of recycling food waste, from reducing pollution to generating energy, making it a vital part of urban sustainability.
For more on this government’s initiative on recycling, you can visit the official policy update here.
