Independent task guide for Exeter household rubbish, recycling, food waste and garden collections.
Find your collection date, then complete the exact next step
Start with your address. Exeter’s collection lookup tells you what is due and where it should be presented. Then use the relevant micro guide below instead of searching through several council pages.
Two local rules catch residents out: food waste is now weekly across Exeter, while glass bottles and jars still do not belong in the green recycling bin.
Need an answer now?
Match your problem to the route below.
Bank Holiday collection change: during the week beginning 31 August 2026, Exeter collections are one day later: Monday → Tuesday, Tuesday → Wednesday, Wednesday → Thursday, Thursday → Friday and Friday → Saturday.
Normal days resume Monday 7 September 2026. Still check your exact address before putting containers out.
Independent guide: BinCollectionGuide.org is not Exeter City Council or Devon County Council. We explain what to do; the live date, report, payment, order or permit is completed on the official service.
Find your exact Exeter collection date
Click-by-click
Open the bin collection lookup
Use the council’s collection-search service rather than a general waste information page.
Enter the postcode or address
A full postcode is usually the fastest way to reduce the result list.
Select your exact home
Do not use a neighbour’s result. City-centre, communal and other properties can have different arrangements.
Read each service separately
Check rubbish, green recycling, food waste and brown garden waste where listed.
Check the designated collection point
The normal point is near the property boundary, but the address lookup is the safer answer for your home.
Save the calendar or set a reminder
If the property result offers an annual calendar, save that address-specific version. Exeter also provides a bin reminder service.
Better reminder: save “GREEN — Tuesday — before 6am” rather than “bins Tuesday”.
Finish when: you know the container, exact date and collection point.
Read the result without putting the wrong container out
Mixed recycling
Most standard properties use the green collection on an alternating fortnightly pattern.
Rubbish
Most standard properties have rubbish on the alternate week from recycling.
Every week
Food waste is now collected weekly across the city.
Garden subscription
This is an optional paid service and uses its own seasonal schedule.
Do not build your own alternating calendar. Bank holidays, property arrangements and operational changes can alter the live schedule. The address result wins.
Night-before checklist
Reopen the property result if you are relying on an old screenshot.
Food can be due even when neither large wheelie bin is due.
Normal household containers should not be placed out earlier than 6pm the evening before.
Collection starts early; your usual lorry arrival time is not guaranteed.
Do this: date → stream → collection point → after 6pm / before 6am.
Which Exeter container does this item use?
Plastic drinks bottle
Green bin. Empty it. Leave the lid on where advised.
Cleaning-product bottle
Green bin. Empty it; pumps should stay out.
Plastic food tub/tray
Green bin. Empty food residue first.
Food tin or drinks can
Green bin. Empty and rinse if needed.
Empty aerosol
Green bin. Only when empty.
Clean aluminium foil
Green bin. Remove food contamination.
Paper or newspaper
Green bin. Keep it dry.
Cardboard box
Green bin. Flatten it to save space.
Carrier / bread bag
Green bin where it matches Exeter’s accepted soft-plastic list. Keep the material clean.
Bubble wrap / polythene film
Green bin where accepted by Exeter’s current soft-plastic guidance.
Glass bottle or jar
Not the green bin. Use an Exeter recycling bank or Devon HWRC.
Meal leftovers
Food caddy. Remove packaging first.
Meat, fish or bones
Food caddy. Cooked or uncooked food can use the weekly route.
Nappy
Residual rubbish. Keep recyclable and food material out.
Battery or vape
Neither household bin. Use an appropriate battery/electrical recycling point because batteries can cause waste-vehicle fires.
Grass or leaves
Brown garden bin if you subscribe, or an appropriate household recycling-centre route.
Soft-plastic rule: Exeter accepts some soft plastics that other councils do not. Do not assume every crisp packet, pouch, compostable film or mixed-material wrapper is accepted just because it bends.
Still unsure? Check the exact material before using the rubbish bin.
Glass: use the bank finder instead of the green bin
After opening the recycling-bank page
Find a convenient recycling-bank location
Do not assume an old supermarket bottle bank is still operating.
Check what that location accepts
Not every bring site contains every type of recycling bank.
Take bottles and jars to the correct bank
Keep kerbside green-bin recycling free of household glass.
Bank full?
Do not leave bottles beside it. Use another official recycling point or report the issue where that option is available.
Bottles and jars
Use an Exeter recycling/bottle bank.
Large quantity
Check Exton Road or Pinbrook Road acceptance before travelling.
Broken mirror / window glass
Do not assume a bottle bank accepts it. Check the Devon material route for that specific glass.
Glass shortcut: bottle/jar → bank; unusual glass → check HWRC material guidance.
Weekly Exeter food waste: what to do on collection day
Exeter reported citywide rollout complete by March 2026.
Kerbside food caddy
Keep the smaller food container visible at the designated collection point.
Shared food container
Some communal properties use a larger labelled food-waste bin rather than an individual kerbside arrangement.
Simple weekly routine
Separate food in the kitchen
Move plate scrapings, peelings and other accepted food out of the residual bin.
Remove packaging
The food and its container may use different recycling routes.
Transfer food to the outdoor caddy
Close the container properly between collections.
Check your exact weekday
“Weekly” does not mean every Exeter property is collected on the same day.
Make the caddy visible
Do not hide it behind the large wheelie bins.
Main bin emptied but food still there?
Food uses a separate collection operation, so allow for the food vehicle to arrive separately before assuming the caddy was missed.
Weekly habit: food out of rubbish → caddy → correct day → visible collection point.
Bin still full? Work out whether Exeter actually missed it
Ordinary rubbish, recycling or garden bin
Check the property lookup rather than the neighbour’s bin.
Late presentation does not qualify as a council miss.
A bin tucked away inside the property can be inaccessible to the crew.
Remove excess material or weight before the next presentation.
Wheeled-bin properties should not rely on unauthorised side waste.
Follow the council’s wider recovery instruction instead of creating the wrong individual report.
If all checks pass
Recheck the property date
Confirm the exact waste stream and scheduled day.
Check suspended collections
Road access, weather or another service problem may already be recorded.
Open the missed-bin service
Use the official reporting route rather than emailing a general council inbox.
Report by the end of the next working day
This is the published reporting deadline for a qualifying ordinary missed collection.
Keep the container available
For a genuine council service failure reported in time, the policy provides for a return collection.
Food caddy route
Main lorry passed
Wait. The separate food-waste crew may still be due.
Food crew has genuinely missed it
Use Exeter’s missed food-waste reporting route promptly.
Caddy hidden behind large bin
Correct the presentation position; Exeter has specifically highlighted visibility of food caddies.
Decision: wrong presentation → correct it; wider disruption → follow notice; genuine ordinary miss → report by next working day; genuine food miss → use the food missed-collection route.
Bin full before collection? Extra recycling and rubbish are not treated the same
Extra recycling
Exeter’s published collection policy allows extra recycling when it is correctly bagged and labelled with “recycling” and the first line of the household address.
Extra rubbish
Properties designated for wheeled rubbish bins should keep ordinary rubbish inside the approved container. Extra black rubbish bags are not automatically collected.
Food filling rubbish bin
Move accepted food waste to the weekly caddy. This can release significant residual-bin space.
If rubbish capacity keeps running out
Pull out green-bin recycling
Paper, cardboard, cans, plastic containers and accepted soft plastics should not consume residual capacity.
Pull out food waste
Exeter now provides the weekly food route citywide.
Remove glass
Take bottles and jars to a recycling bank rather than either household wheelie bin.
Large or DIY item?
Use bulky waste or the Devon HWRC route instead of forcing it into the residual bin.
Shared-house fix: make one person responsible for checking recycling and food before rubbish night. This often solves “bin too small” without needing another container.
Capacity order: recycle → food → glass → specialist/bulky route → residual rubbish last.
Garden waste: decide your container size before paying
Main larger brown-bin option.
Published additional-bin fee.
Smaller garden-bin option.
Published additional-bin fee.
Useful for smaller or occasional garden-waste quantities.
Before opening the payment service
A 140L bin or occasional sacks may suit a smaller garden better than a 240L bin.
Compare the annual service against composting before paying.
Devon’s Exeter recycling centres may be another option.
After opening the Exeter service
Select the garden-waste service
Choose the correct property before entering payment information.
Choose 140L, 240L or available sack option
Check the current price shown on the live service against the published fee.
Complete the order/payment
The paid service is linked to the property.
Wait for the service/container to be active
Do not assume payment creates a same-week collection.
Return to the property calendar
Check the brown-bin date for the address once the subscription is active.
Before paying: quantity → container size → current fee → property → first collection date.
Large household item? Calculate the likely Exeter collection charge first
Standard published charge when presented at the property boundary, front garden or drive.
For standard eligible bulky items.
Current fee schedule includes up to four sacks in the standard first charge.
More than four items or larger quantities can move to the published minimum hourly charge.
Prepare before contacting Waste Operations
Write an item list
Example: one mattress + one table + one chair = three items.
Separate DIY-type waste
Plasterboard, tyres, roofing felt, soil/rubble and some building materials have separate disposal surcharges or rules.
Work out the basic standard-item amount
One item £15, then £15 for each additional standard item.
Check reuse first
A usable sofa, table or appliance may be suitable for donation or retailer take-back.
Contact Waste Operations
For the paid collection and larger-load quote, the approved fee document lists 01392 265010.
DIY material warning: the standard £15 furniture price is not the whole cost for every type of construction or DIY waste. Check the material before arranging collection.
Call prepared with: item list + quantity + material type + property + accessible collection point.
Lost or replacement rubbish bin: identify the size before ordering
2026/27 replacement/change charge.
2026/27 replacement/change charge.
2026/27 replacement/change charge.
Current published charge.
Choose the problem first
Use missed-bin checks, not the replacement route.
Check/order the correct replacement container.
Do not order an individual household wheelie bin without checking the building arrangement.
That is an assisted-collection issue rather than a replacement issue.
Need help presenting containers?
Open Exeter’s assisted-waste request
Use this when a physical limitation prevents normal household presentation.
Continue with or without MyExeter sign-in as offered
The online service handles the request rather than a general missed-bin report.
Provide the property and applicant details
Explain the collection assistance required.
Follow the agreed presentation arrangement
Once approved, the collection point can differ from the standard property-boundary rule.
Diagnose first: missed collection ≠ missing bin ≠ accessibility problem.
Exton Road or Pinbrook Road: check before loading the vehicle
Exton Road
Exeter household recycling-centre route. Open the individual centre page for current hours and material rules.
Pinbrook Road
Second Exeter household recycling-centre route. Check the live site information before travelling.
Micro guide for a normal household trip
Identify the exact waste
Example: glass, garden waste, broken electrical item, rubble or old furniture.
Open Devon’s Exeter site list
Choose Exton Road or Pinbrook Road.
Open the individual centre
Check today’s opening information and whether your exact material is accepted.
Check the vehicle
If using a private van, do not assume normal car access rules apply.
Load only after the checks pass
This avoids reaching the centre with a restricted material or unapproved vehicle.
Taking a privately owned van?
Open the Devon van-permit form
The vehicle must be private, not business/commercial/work use, and meet Devon’s stated vehicle restrictions.
Enter vehicle details
The form asks for the make/model and registration number.
Enter resident contact/address information
The applicant must be a Devon resident for this private-van permit route.
Upload the V5
Upload the first two pages of the vehicle’s DVLA V5 registration document.
Upload the driving licence
The current address on the V5 and driving licence must match the Devon residence.
Allow processing time
Devon says applications aim to be processed within 14 days, so do not apply on the morning you want to visit.
Business waste: the private-van household permit is not a way to dispose of commercial or work-generated waste for free.
Before driving: site → open today → exact material → vehicle → permit if required.
Do not copy the collection setup from the house next door
Communal bin store
Use the containers and designated collection point assigned to the building.
Communal food waste
Some properties use shared food-waste containers rather than an individual kerbside caddy.
Student/shared house
Put the exact collection dates somewhere everyone can see them and separate food weekly.
Glass
A communal green recycling bin does not automatically mean household glass belongs inside it.
Furniture beside communal bins
Use bulky/reuse/HWRC routes rather than blocking a shared bin store.
Different collection point
Use the property lookup rather than assuming the nearest pavement is the official presentation location.
Copy-ready shared-house rule: “Check Exeter date → correct container → after 6pm/before 6am → food every week → glass never in green.”
Open only the service that matches your task
Best workflow: solve the decision here → open one official service → finish the live transaction there.
Exeter bin collection FAQs
How do I find my Exeter bin collection date?
Open Exeter City Council’s bin collection lookup, search by postcode or address, select the exact property and read the next rubbish, recycling, food-waste and subscribed garden-waste dates shown.
What time should bins be out in Exeter?
Containers should normally be presented after 6pm on the evening before collection and before 6am on collection day at the designated collection point.
Is Exeter food waste collected every week?
Yes. Exeter City Council reported in March 2026 that the food-waste rollout had reached the whole city and weekly collections were operating.
Can glass go in Exeter’s green recycling bin?
No. Glass bottles and jars use Exeter recycling banks or an appropriate Devon household recycling centre rather than the kerbside green recycling bin.
Can carrier bags go in Exeter’s green recycling bin?
Current Exeter recycling information accepts several clean soft plastics including carrier bags, bread bags, polythene film and bubble wrap. Check the current Exeter list for unusual wrappers because not every flexible-plastic item is accepted.
When should I report a missed Exeter bin?
For ordinary rubbish, recycling or garden waste, check that the collection genuinely qualifies as missed and report it by the end of the next working day. Food-waste collections have separate missed-collection guidance.
How much is Exeter garden waste in 2026?
The approved 2026/27 fees list £61 for a 240-litre brown garden bin and £49 for a 140-litre brown garden bin for the year. Check the live service before paying.
How much is an Exeter bulky waste collection?
The approved 2026/27 fee schedule lists £15 for one standard bulky item or up to four sacks of domestic waste and £15 for each additional standard item. Larger collections can move to an hourly charge.
Where can Exeter residents take household waste and recycling?
Devon County Council lists Exton Road and Pinbrook Road as the two household recycling centres in Exeter. Check the individual centre information before travelling.
Do I need a permit to take a private van to a Devon recycling centre?
A qualifying privately owned van needs Devon County Council approval. The application requires vehicle and resident details plus the first two pages of the V5 and a driving licence, and applications aim to be processed within 14 days.