With thanks to the hard work of its residents’, Mid Devon District Council is pleased to report a recycling rate increase of 1.3 percent – from 51.9 percent in 2017/18 to 53.2 percent in 2018/19.

The Council’s Street Scene Service, which provides kerbside waste collections for residents throughout the district, aims to increase the amount of recycling it collects each year, by raising awareness of the need to recycle and the subsequent impact on the environment when ignored. For example, recycling one tonne of aluminium saves nine tonnes of Co2 emissions. Considering that one tonne of Co2 is the equivalent to driving a car 2,800 miles, the benefits of recycling really start to become clear.

Equally important as the increase in recycling, is the reduction in non-recyclable black sack waste put out for collection (also known as residual waste). In 2017/18, the average household produced 381.4kg of residual waste, compared to 2018/19 where the average household only produced 364.4kg – a reduction of 4.5%!

Cabinet Member for Environment, Cllr Luke Taylor said:

"The gains and losses made in recycling and residual waste respectively, reflect the dedication and commitment to preserving our environment by both council staff and residents alike. I would like to thank our residents for their continued commitment to recycling. Recycling helps the environment whilst reducing costs, which allows us to use this money to provide other services.

"The Street Scene team will continue to reach out to residents through social media to raise awareness and publicise the benefits of recycling, and in person, by meeting with and educating those who require more support to ensure they recycle correctly. Without the public’s support, Devon would not be able to lay claim to being one of the top performing counties for recycling in the country."