Thousands more Exeter homes to receive weekly food waste collections

More households across Exeter are set to join the city’s expanding food waste collection scheme, with 3,500 additional homes in Newtown, St David’s and St James due to receive weekly collections from Wednesday, 5 November. 

The latest phase of the rollout will also include several large student accommodation blocks, as Exeter City Council continues its push to make food waste recycling available to every household by March 2026.

Once this stage is complete, more than 45,000 homes (around three-quarters of the city) will be receiving the service, which prevents food waste from ending up in black bins and helps boost Exeter’s recycling rate. 

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Instead, collected food waste is taken for anaerobic digestion, a process that turns it into fertiliser and soil improver while generating electricity.

Cllr Ruth Williams, Lead Councillor for City Management, said the continued expansion of the service marks another important step toward reducing the city’s environmental footprint. “It’s great to see the roll-out gathering pace, with thousands more homes being added to the service,” she said. 

“Food waste collections play a key role in increasing our recycling rate and cutting the amount of waste being incinerated in Exeter. We’re working hard to reach everyone as soon as we are able to and are looking to complete the rollout by the end of March 2026. I appreciate residents’ patience as we work to introduce collections to more of the city.”

Residents in the newest areas will receive a pack containing collection details and caddy stickers, with deliveries of one black 23-litre kerbside caddy (with a red lid) and one five-litre grey kitchen caddy taking place next week. 

Properties with shared bins will be provided with communal food waste facilities.

Information about the rollout, including FAQs and recycling advice, can be found on Exeter City Council’s website under “Introduction to our food waste collections.”