Devon councils have saved around £24 million after a decade-long drive to cut household waste and reduce treatment and disposal costs with, the money ploughed back into local waste services.
New figures, presented to councillors on the Devon Authorities Strategic Waste Committee (DASWC), also showed that households across the county produced 350,816 tonnes of waste in 2025/26, 4,400 tonnes, or 1.2 per cent less than the previous year.
And five of Devon’s eight district councils recycled more than half of their household waste.
Waste collected per person also fell from 417kg to 411kg, keeping Devon and Torbay on track to meet their target of 400kg per person by 2030.
All the figures were presented alongside the results of a Shared Savings Scheme launched in 2016.
The scheme encouraged six district councils to reduce waste and make changes that lowered treatment and disposal costs.
Over its 10-year lifetime, waste fell by around 79,000 tonnes against projected levels, generating savings of around £24 million.
Around £12 million was returned to the councils involved and reinvested in local waste services and technology.
Average recycling rates among councils that took part increased from 47.3 per cent to 52.2 per cent while the savings helped fund collection vehicles, depots, containers, equipment and technology.
The latest annual figures were more mixed. Devon reused, recycled or composted 187,401 tonnes of household waste in 2025/26, giving a recycling rate of 53.4 per cent down from 54.2 per cent the previous year.
East Devon remained the county’s best-performing district at 59.8 per cent, followed by Mid Devon at 56.4 per cent. Teignbridge and West Devon both recorded 52.6 per cent, with Torridge at 51.5 per cent.
South Hams recorded 48.9 per cent, North Devon 43.7 per cent and Exeter 32.6 per cent.. Exeter was the only district to improve its recycling rate, rising from 29 per cent and passing 30 percent for the first time since 2017/18.
The amount of non-recycled waste collected per Exeter household fell by 27kg, from 418kg to 391kg. At 257kg, the city also had the lowest amount of household waste collected per person of any Devon district.
Recycling figures can fluctuate from year to year because of the weather and changes in the amount and type of waste produced.
Food and garden waste have large impact because organic material makes up half of Devon’s recycling.
Last year, the amount of organic waste recycled or composted fell by 4,294 tonnes, from 98,644 tonnes to 94,350 tonnes.
Plastic and textile recycling went up, as did the amount of material reused.
Councillor Adam Billings (Torbay Council), Chair of DASWC, said:
“There is plenty to be positive about. Devon is producing less waste, five district councils continue to recycle more than half of their household waste, and Exeter has made a welcome improvement while Torbay and Devon County Council are on track to reduce the waste collected per person each year to 400kg by 2030.
“The Shared Savings Scheme shows what councils can achieve by working together. Through service changes and operational improvements it has cut waste by around 79,000 tonnes against projected levels and saved around £24 million.
“But we know there remains a more to do on recycling, and particularly on recycling food waste, and that improvements here will both help our environment and reduce the costs that are passed on to residents through Council tax. So we will keep working together to help people reduce, reuse and recycle as much as possible.”
