Check Your East Devon Collection Date Before the 6am Deadline
East Devon recycling is collected every week, while non-recyclable black-bin waste is normally collected every three weeks. Your exact dates depend on your address.
Start with the official postcode calendar, then use this guide for August 2026, black-bin weeks, sorting, extra waste, missed collections, green waste, flats, assisted collections and contact details.
East Devon Bin Collection 2026: Quick Answer
Use your exact address to get the date. Then remember four service rules: recycling weekly, food weekly, black refuse every three weeks and subscribed green waste every two weeks.
Recycling
Recycling box and recycling sack are collected every week.
Food waste
Present the household food caddy with the weekly recycling collection.
Black refuse
The black wheeled bin or approved gull sack is normally collected every third week.
Green waste
Paid subscribers normally receive a collection every two weeks.
Current East Devon guidance says containers must be at the correct collection point by 6am. Some third-party pages and older material still show 7am.
Find Your East Devon Bin Collection Day by Address
This is the correct route for East Devon bin collection dates, black-bin dates and holiday-adjusted collections.
Open East Devon’s collection finder
Use the official council calendar rather than a postcode-only third-party timetable.
Enter your postcode or part of your address
Select the exact property shown in the results.
Read each collection stream separately
Weekly recycling can have a different rhythm from your three-weekly black bin and fortnightly subscribed garden bin.
Check the actual date near bank holidays
Do not manually add one day unless the council calendar or official notice confirms that change.
Put containers at the collection point by 6am
The normal point is the boundary of your property where it meets the public highway.
Your green-waste dates may not appear immediately. Check again after the council green bin has been delivered.
East Devon Bin Collection Schedule for 2026
| Waste stream | Normal frequency | Container | Key rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry recycling | Weekly | Recycling box + recycling sack | Separate materials into the correct container. |
| Food waste | Weekly | Food caddy | Use food collection instead of filling the black bin. |
| Non-recyclable refuse | Every 3 weeks | Black wheeled bin / gull sack | Only waste contained inside the approved container is normally collected. |
| Green garden waste | Every 2 weeks | Council green wheeled bin | Paid annual subscription required. |
| Household clinical waste | Weekly when arranged | Approved clinical bag/box | Free household service arranged separately. |
The black bin is normally three-weekly, but Christmas, bank holidays, severe weather and operational disruption can change an actual date.
East Devon Bin Collection Times and Dates in August 2026
The normal presentation rule remains by 6am. The date most likely to need an extra check is the Summer Bank Holiday on Monday 31 August 2026.
Normal August deadline
Put the scheduled containers at the normal collection point before 6am.
Bank Holiday
Check your live calendar again before the final weekend of August.
No borough-wide date table
Your black-bin week and recycling date depend on your property route.
East Devon has used one-day-later arrangements for some previous bank holidays, including a May 2026 holiday, but that historical pattern is not enough to safely publish an unconfirmed August date for every household.
A revised Monday collection can move into September, which is why the live property calendar is more useful than a static August table.
East Devon Black Bin Collection Dates and Three-Week Cycle
The black wheeled bin or approved gull sack is for residual household waste that cannot use East Devon’s weekly recycling or food service.
Not fortnightly
Current 2026 council information confirms a three-week refuse cycle.
Keep it inside
Loose waste and ordinary refuse bags beside the bin are not collected.
Save black-bin space
Move food, bottles, cans, paper, glass and suitable electricals into the correct weekly service.
Black-bin basics
- Use it for household waste that cannot go in the recycling box, sack or food caddy.
- Nappies and most ordinary incontinence products can use the black bin.
- Keep the wheeled-bin lid fully closed.
- Do not overload the bin.
- Bag refuse before putting it inside a reusable gull sack.
Keep these out
- Garden waste.
- Rubble and building material.
- Hazardous household waste.
- Paint.
- Recyclable items that have an accepted kerbside collection.
East Devon Collection PDF Audit: Which Documents Are Still Useful?
PDF dates and presentation rules age quickly. Use the document for its intended purpose rather than treating every old leaflet as a 2026 calendar.
2025 Recycle Devon service leaflet: useful for sorting, not 2026 dates
The East Devon 2025 recycling-service leaflet confirms the modern 6am presentation rule and includes recycling preparation tips and local recycling-centre locations.
- Rinse suitable bottles, cans, jars and foil.
- Squash plastic bottles where practical.
- Keep reusable textiles and shoes dry.
- Bag household batteries separately.
- Bag shredded paper and small electricals as instructed.
- Use a suitable liner for the food caddy.
Its recycling-centre hours and calendar-year information relate to the leaflet’s publication period. Recheck live information before travelling or putting bins out.
April 2026 official Board PDF: what changed behind the service
East Devon’s Recycling and Waste Partnership Board recorded three resident-relevant developments in April 2026.
- The green-waste subscription price had increased from 1 April 2026.
- Narrow-access green-waste collections were being expanded with a smaller vehicle.
- The service-provider transition was being managed with an expectation that normal residents should not notice a day-to-day service change.
Keep using East Devon District Council’s collection calendar, forms, telephone numbers and containers. Do not change your collection routine simply because the operator structure changes.
Older East Devon literature has previously used a later presentation time. Current 2026 council pages and the newer service leaflet use 6am, so 6am is the safer current rule.
Which East Devon Recycling Container Should You Use?
East Devon separates weekly dry recycling between a recycling box and a recycling sack. Using the correct one reduces rejected material and keeps collections faster.
Paper, card, glass and special items
- Cardboard, including clean cereal and egg boxes.
- Paper, newspapers and magazines.
- Junk mail and envelopes.
- Glass bottles and jars, rinsed with lids removed.
- Household batteries in a clear plastic bag.
- Reusable clothes and shoes, bagged but not in black refuse bags.
- Small electrical items, bagged separately from textiles.
Put the lid on so paper and cardboard are protected from rain.
Plastics, cartons, cans and foil
- Plastic bottles — squash them and leave lids on.
- Plastic food pots, tubs and trays.
- Empty toothpaste tubes.
- Cartons / Tetra Paks.
- Rinsed tins and cans.
- Clean, dry aluminium foil and foil trays.
- Empty aerosols.
- No cardboard.
- No glass.
- No plastic film.
- No polystyrene.
- No bubble wrap.
- No crisp packets or soft pouches.
If an unusual item is not clearly listed, use the council’s A–Z recycling guide rather than guessing.
East Devon Food Caddy: Weekly Collection and Liner Rules
Food waste is collected every week, which is particularly important when the black refuse bin is only collected every three weeks.
Food you can put in
- Fruit and vegetable peelings.
- Cooked and uncooked food.
- Meat and fish, including bones.
- Plate scrapings.
- Tea bags and coffee grounds.
- Cat and dog food.
Keep these out
- Liquids.
- Animal bedding.
- Animal waste.
- Food packaging.
- Compostable packaging.
What liner should I use?
East Devon’s 2026 information recommends newspaper or a single-use plastic bag such as an ordinary carrier bag or bread bag. Do not use a reusable bag-for-life as a disposable liner.
A June 2026 council information response says liners are removed before food enters the anaerobic-digestion vessel. The council does not supply caddy liners.
Extra Recycling, Extra Cardboard and a Full Black Bin
East Devon allows useful extra recycling capacity, but ordinary refuse side waste is not part of the standard collection.
You can present more recycling
- Households can have up to three recycling boxes, sacks and food caddies.
- Additional recycling can use suitable plastic bags, but not black refuse bags.
- An extra container must be no larger than the standard green recycling box.
No normal side waste
- No loose rubbish around the black bin.
- No additional refuse sacks beside it.
- No rubbish balanced on top of the closed lid.
If you have unavoidable one-off excess refuse, East Devon says a chargeable collection may be arranged through Customer Services.
Extra cardboard
- Flatten large packaging.
- Remove polystyrene first.
- Place manageable card underneath or beside the recycling box.
- Spread very large amounts over several weekly collections.
Squeeze excess air from refuse bags before placing them in the bin. East Devon also suggests placing bags sideways where that uses the bin space more efficiently.
East Devon Missed Bin: Wait Until After 5pm Before Reporting
This is one of the most important differences between current East Devon guidance and several third-party bin-day pages.
On East Devon’s form, “recycling” covers the recycling box, recycling sack and food caddy. “Refuse” means the black wheeled bin.
East Devon Bin Collection Contact Number
01395 571515
Main East Devon recycling and waste customer-service number.
Monday–Friday
Current council telephone hours are 8:30am to 5pm.
0345 155 1010
Useful for some hazardous-waste and recycling-centre enquiries.
Missed collections, assisted collections and other requests are easier to route correctly when submitted through the relevant council page.
East Devon Green Waste Collection 2026
The current annual subscription costs £65 and normally provides fortnightly garden-waste collections for eleven months of the year.
12-month subscription
The full annual fee applies even if you do not present the bin every fortnight.
Every two weeks
Normal subscribed collection frequency.
About six weeks
The service operates for approximately eleven months each year.
Standard maximum
Up to three subscribed green bins can normally be held at one property.
What can go in?
- Grass cuttings.
- Flowers.
- Small tree branches under 10cm thick.
- Loose leaves.
- Shrub and hedge trimmings.
- Small quantities of garden windfall fruit.
Keep these out
- Soil, turf, rubble, stones or gravel.
- Kitchen food waste.
- Pet bedding or pet waste.
- Plant pots.
- Garden furniture.
- Ordinary or compostable sacks.
- Specified invasive weeds or diseased material requiring specialist disposal.
Do not bag it inside the green bin. East Devon says the composting facility does not accept ordinary or compostable sacks in the garden-waste load.
Lost or damaged green bin
Lost or stolen
Current council FAQ says missing or stolen green bins are replaced free of charge.
Resident damage
Current replacement charge is £32 when the customer damages the green bin. Crew-damaged bins are replaced free.
Narrow or difficult-access property?
East Devon is expanding the green-waste service with a smaller collection vehicle for suitable narrow-access roads and difficult-access properties.
Give the council your collection address and contact details so it can assess demand and tell you when the narrow-access service becomes available in your area.
East Devon Assisted Collections for Mobility or Disability
Assisted collection can cover waste, recycling and green-waste containers when a resident cannot move them because of disability or mobility difficulties.
Short-term support
Useful during recovery or a temporary mobility problem.
Ongoing arrangement
Available when the qualifying circumstances continue.
Check the household
The council cannot normally offer assistance if an able-bodied person over 15 lives at the property.
What the form asks for
- Your name.
- Your address.
- The date you want assistance to start.
The council will confirm when the assisted collection arrangement begins.
Request or cancel assisted collectionEast Devon Flats, Apartments and Communal Bin Stores
Shared properties can use material-separated recycling boxes, communal food caddies, shared refuse containers or individual container sets.
Use labelled boxes
Some communal stores provide a separate box for each recycling material rather than a household recycling sack.
Mark your flat number
If each flat has its own box, sack and caddy, add the flat number to reduce mix-ups.
Use shared food caddies
Food should stay out of shared general-waste containers where a communal food service is provided.
Put each material into the correctly labelled recycling box rather than combining everything into whichever box has spare space.
Useful communal-container contacts
- More communal boxes or box stickers: 01395 571650.
- Free handy bag for carrying recycling from a flat: 01395 571650.
- Small indoor food caddy: 01395 571515.
- Overflowing shared refuse: contact your housing officer or landlord where applicable.
Bulky items can prevent residents and crews reaching the normal bins. Arrange reuse, a large-item collection or an appropriate recycling-centre trip.
Nappies, Incontinence Products and Clinical Waste in 2026
Do not assume East Devon has a district-wide nappy-recycling collection in 2026. The council’s public nappy pages contain conflicting date information.
One public page currently says “This September”, but the council’s detailed FAQ explicitly identifies the limited trial as starting in September 2024 and ending in December 2024. Unless East Devon contacts your household with a current collection instruction, use the normal 2026 disposal rule below.
Normal current rule for nappies and incontinence products
- Put nappies in the black wheeled bin or gull sack.
- Ordinary incontinence products also use the black refuse service.
- Double-bag absorbent hygiene products where appropriate for safe handling.
When does waste become clinical?
Sharps and some healthcare waste require a specialist collection rather than the ordinary black bin. Ask your healthcare professional if you are unsure.
Clinical service
Eligible household clinical waste can be collected every week by arrangement.
No household charge
The current household service is free.
Clinical presentation
Approved bags and boxes must be out by 6am on the arranged collection day.
East Devon can collect them, but replacement specialist boxes need to be supplied by a healthcare professional, GP surgery or hospital.
Small Electricals, Batteries and Textiles at the Kerbside
East Devon already collects several materials weekly that many households mistakenly put in the black bin.
Bag separately
Items smaller than roughly a recycling box, such as toasters, kettles, hairdryers and cables, can use the weekly recycling service.
Clear plastic bag
Place ordinary household batteries in a clear plastic bag with the recycling box.
Keep them dry
Reusable clothes and shoes should be bagged separately and should not be presented in black refuse bags.
East Devon’s current information confirms small WEEE is collected weekly alongside the standard recycling service.
East Devon Large Item Collection Prices in 2026
Large furniture and appliances need the separate chargeable collection rather than being left beside the black bin.
| Items | Current charge |
|---|---|
| 1 item | £60 |
| 2 items | £75 |
| 3 items | £90 |
| 4 items | £105 |
| 5 items | £120 |
| 6 items | £135 |
| 7 items | £150 |
| 8 items | £165 |
| 9 items | £180 |
| 10 items | £195 maximum standard booking |
East Devon’s current price page states that there are no concessions or exceptions to the large-item collection charge.
If furniture or another household item remains usable, consider a suitable reuse or donation route before paying for disposal.
Recycling Centres Serving East Devon Households
Household Waste Recycling Centres are managed by Devon County Council, so opening hours and disposal rules should be checked with the County Council before travelling.
Knowle Hill
Salterton Road, Exmouth, EX8 5BP.
Sutton Barton
Honiton, EX14 9SP.
Bowd
Sidmouth, EX10 0AX.
The 2025 recycling leaflet contains centre hours for that publication period. Check Devon County Council’s current page before making a journey in 2026.
Hazardous household waste
Devon recycling centres can accept some specialist household materials, but preparation and site rules matter.
- Some bonded asbestos products — call ahead.
- Spent engine oil and vehicle batteries.
- LPG gas cylinders.
- Old paint.
- Some hazardous household chemicals.
Devon County Council waste enquiries: 0345 155 1010.
Use the East Devon App for Collection Reminders
A personalised reminder is particularly useful with a weekly recycling service sitting alongside a three-weekly black-bin schedule.
Check collections
Keep address-specific collection information in one place.
Avoid missing black-bin week
A three-week cycle is easier to forget than an alternate-week service.
Collection updates
The council also promotes the app for waste-service information and missed-collection access.
Official East Devon Waste Resources
Use the action-specific page below rather than searching through multiple unrelated council pages.
Narrow-Access Garden Waste
Register interest if the normal large vehicle cannot reach the property.
Register interestEast Devon Bin Collection FAQs
How do I check my East Devon bin collection date?
What time should East Devon bins be out?
Why do some websites say East Devon bins should be out by 7am?
How often is the East Devon black bin collected?
Is East Devon recycling collected weekly?
What are my East Devon August 2026 bin dates?
What time are East Devon collections in August 2026?
Can I use an East Devon 2025 collection calendar in 2026?
What is the East Devon bin collection contact number?
When should I report a missed East Devon collection?
Will East Devon return for a genuine missed bin?
Can I leave an extra black bag beside my East Devon bin?
Can I put extra recycling out?
How much is East Devon green waste in 2026?
What happens if my East Devon green bin is lost or damaged?
Can I share an East Devon green bin with a neighbour?
Can I get an assisted bin collection?
Is there an East Devon nappy recycling collection in September 2026?
Are nappies put in the East Devon black bin?
Does East Devon collect small electrical items?
How much does East Devon bulky waste collection cost?
East Devon Bin Night: Final 60-Second Check
- Check your exact property calendar.
- Read the date and waste stream together.
- Put scheduled containers at the collection point by 6am.
- Remember recycling is weekly.
- Remember food waste is weekly.
- Check whether the three-week black-bin collection is actually due.
- Use the recycling box for its designated dry materials.
- Use the recycling sack for accepted plastics, cans, cartons and foil.
- Keep the black-bin lid closed.
- Do not leave ordinary refuse side waste.
- Use permitted extra recycling rather than filling the black bin unnecessarily.
- Recheck dates near 31 August 2026 and Christmas.
- Wait until after 5pm before reporting a missed collection.
- Use 01395 571515 for Recycling and Waste help.
Independent resident guide. This website is not East Devon District Council, Devon County Council or the waste collection operator. Dates, charges, access arrangements, bank-holiday changes and temporary service rules can change, so verify urgent or property-specific information through the official council services linked above.