Residents and staff thanked for recycling effort

Staff and residents have been thanked for playing their part in processing a “mountain” of recycling over the Christmas holidays in Exeter.

Waste and recycling crews from Exeter City Council are catching up on collections and the extra materials that the festivities bring. Since Christmas, crews have reported 14% more being presented at the kerbside for recycling (this includes food waste) and trade waste collections.

That includes mounds of extra cardboard packaging and plastic toy packets, piles of additional drink cans and plastic bottles, plenty of balled-up used tin foil and a shed-load of soft plastic bags.

Speaking from the Materials Reclamation Facility (MRF) in Exton Road, where all the recyclable materials are dropped off and sorted, Cllr Ruth Williams, Lead Councillor for Place and City Management, thanked everyone in the city for their contributions.

“We’re seeing a mountain of recycling coming into the MRF. It’s very encouraging to see and I’d like to thank the people of Exeter for taking the time and making the effort to separate their recycling from their household waste. It really does make a difference!

“Because of the holidays and the extra materials we have to collect, it always takes time to catch up, so I’d also like to thank people for their patience and bear with us as we get back to normal. Normal collection dates are set to resume from tomorrow, Monday 15 January.”