Weekly food waste collections coming to Exeter households under new recycling reforms

Households in Exeter are expected to see gradual changes to waste collections over the next few years as part of national recycling reforms, with weekly food waste collections set to become standard by 2027.

The changes form part of the UK Government’s “Simpler Recycling” reforms, overseen by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), which aim to standardise recycling across England so the same core materials can be recycled at home, work, and school.

Councillor Jacqi Hodgson, Devon County Council’s cabinet member for climate change and biodiversity, said the reforms should make recycling easier for residents: “The Simpler Recycling reforms are a step in the right direction and should make it much easier and less confusing for people to recycle at home, school, and work.”

Adding a local perspective, Cllr Ruth Williams, Lead Councillor for City Management at Exeter City Council, highlighted the impact on residents: “We are seeing real momentum with the roll-out, as more and more homes are added to the service.”

“Food waste collections play a crucial role in increasing our recycling rate and cutting the amount of waste being incinerated in Exeter. The service is proving popular where it has been introduced, and it is great that we’re able to add another 4,000 properties this time around.”

For many households in Exeter and across Devon, the immediate impact will be limited, as most of the core materials – including metal, glass, paper and card, plastics, cartons, and food waste – are already collected locally.

However, one of the most significant changes will be the expansion of separate weekly food waste collections. 

Under the government’s timetable, businesses with more than ten employees must separate food waste from March 2025, while councils must move towards providing weekly household food waste collections from March 2026. 

The reforms will continue to roll out until March 2027, when additional materials such as plastic films, including bags and wrappers, will also be added to the recycling stream.

For Exeter households, the changes mean food scraps will increasingly be placed in kitchen caddies and kerbside containers rather than general waste bins. 

The waste is then sent for anaerobic digestion, where it can be converted into renewable energy and fertiliser instead of being sent to landfill or incineration.

Food waste forms a significant part of the UK’s overall waste stream. 

Government figures (Gov UK) show households in England produce around 21.7 million tonnes of waste each year – roughly 377 kilograms per person – while the national recycling rate currently stands at 44.6 per cent. 

Research estimates around five million tonnes of edible food are wasted by UK households annually, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions when it decomposes.

In Exeter, food waste collections have already begun expanding. 

According to Devon Climate Emergency, around 58 per cent of residents currently have access to a separate food waste service, with Devon County Council aiming to extend collections to all households as infrastructure develops. 

Devon already has one of the strongest recycling records in England, with a recycling rate of 54.2 per cent in 2024–25.

Although the materials that must be recycled will be standardised nationally, councils will still decide how collections operate locally. 

For many Exeter residents, the main change over the coming years will be the expectation that food waste is separated and collected weekly as part of the government’s efforts to increase recycling and reduce landfill.