Sidmouth Recycling Centre

Van Permit System

A van permit system is in operation at Sidmouth Recycling Centre.

Please check whether your van requires a permit before visiting the site.

Opening times

Summer (Apr to Sep)
Monday to Friday: 9:00am to 5:00pm
Saturday and Sunday: 10:00am to 6:00pm

Winter (Oct to Mar)
Monday to Friday: 9:00am to 4:30pm
Saturday and Sunday: 10:00am to 4:30pm

Open all year round (except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day).

In the event of extreme weather conditions the recycling centres may be forced to delay opening or close at short notice, due to potential health and safety risks to site users. We will endeavour to update this webpage and the webpage of the closed recycling centre(s) when required but this may not always be possible. We would advise potential site users to avoid unnecessary travel during severe weather. 

Contact details

Sidmouth Recycling Centre
Bowd
Sidmouth
EX10 0ND
0345 155 1010

Temporary Site Closures/Delays

Waste loading/skip changes may result in this site (or part of the site) being closed for periods throughout the day. For your own safety, please remain in your vehicle and keep your waste on board until the loading/skip exchange is completed. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Assistance

Site staff will aim to provide assistance when reasonable; however, they are unable to lift excessively heavy and/or awkward loads. For example, if a bulky/heavy item required 2 or more persons to initially load the vehicle then it will be expected that the same amount of people arrive to help unload the vehicle once on site. Staff are unable to unload waste from a vehicle, but may provide reasonable assistance once the waste is out of the vehicle. Please do not overload bags and ensure bags are only filled in volumes you can safely manage.

Pedestrian Access

This site does not accept pedestrian access.

Re-Use Shop

This site has a reuse shop where reusable goods can be purchased.

Acceptable materials

Please ensure that your waste is separated before arriving at the site.

  • Aluminium and steel cans.
  • Batteries – Household and car batteries (excluding electric vehicle batteries). Alternatively, car batteries can be taken to a scrap metal merchant who may pay you for your battery.
  • Bulky/rigid plastics.
  • Cardboard/Greeting Cards (must be non-glittery).
  • Clean mixed plastic packaging, for example, food trays and yoghurt pots (must be washed). Black plastic food trays and cling film type packaging are not acceptable.
  • Directories/Yellow Pages.
  • Flat glass.
  • Fluorescent tubes: up to 5 in any 6 month period.
  • Foil/Aluminium packaging (clean aluminium foil/packaging only).
  • Fridges/freezers (commercial fridges/freezers/air conditioning units are not accepted as well as units from caravans/motorhomes/boats).
  • Garden/green waste (branches up to 250mm or 10 inches in diameter are accepted).
  • Glass bottles and jars.
  • Large domestic appliances, for example, tumble dryers, washing machines.
  • Light bulbs (recycled with fluorescent tubes).
  • Metal (including empty aerosol cans).
  • Other electrical appliances, for example, toasters, lawn mowers, hairdryers, computers and laptops (please ensure all personal data is deleted).
  • Paper, newspapers and magazines (Wrapping paper or any paper containing glitter must not go in the paper bank).
  • Petrol powered lawn mowers and strimmers (must be emptied of fuel).
  • Plastic bottles.
  • Printer cartridges.
  • Textiles.
  • Timber/wood.
  • TVs/computer monitors.
  • Vapes.
  • Vegetable oil.

Materials accepted (not recycled)

  • Carpets
  • Mattresses
  • Soft furnishings (e.g. sofa, armchair)

Restricted and non-acceptable materials

Restricted

  • Ash (must be cooled and well damped down).
  • DIY waste free allowance: see chargeable waste
  • Fluorescent tubes: 5 in a 6 month period.
  • Gas bottles.
  • Hazardous waste, including items such as household chemicals (eg pesticides, white spirit, bleach, oil-based paint, mercury thermometers) DIY engine oils, solvents are accepted in restricted quantities: 5 litres.
  • NHS equipment.
  • Noxious weeds.

Non acceptable

  • Asbestos: chargeable at certain recycling centres (facilities available at: Bideford, Exeter (Exton Road and Pinbrook Road), Honiton, Kingsbridge, Newton Abbot, Okehampton, Tavistock, Tiverton and Torrington)
  • Business and commercial waste. Commercial green waste and cardboard is acceptable at certain sites for a charge, by arrangement only. Find out more about the trade recycling scheme here.
  • Commercial fridges/freezers/air conditioning units are not accepted as well as units from caravans/motorhomes/boats.
  • Dead pets, pet faeces and soiled litter/bedding material. Your local vet will be able to help you with the cremation of dead pets. You may wish to consider a home composting facility for pet faeces or soiled bedding.
  • Electric vehicle batteries.
  • Excess dustbin/black bag waste – please contact your local district/city council in the first instance.
  • Fireworks (used/unused) – contact the manufacturer for disposal advice.
  • Flares, explosives and ammunition – please see government guidance (flares) or contact your local police station (explosives/ammunition) for disposal advice.
  • Fly-tipped waste
  • Ground/Air source heat pumps.
  • Night storage heaters – only acceptable at recycling centres which accept asbestos, the unit must be double wrapped in tough plastic and sealed. Sites will only accept full appliances.
  • Oil tanks/Heating oil tanks – please see a list of alternative service
  • Railway sleepers/Utility poles.
  • Sanitary wastes (nappies, sanitary towels) – not accepted at recycling centres. These wastes should be wrapped and placed in your dustbin for normal collection by your district, city or borough council.
  • Sewage/contents of drains.
  • Sharps/clinical items: please contact your local district/city or borough council.
  • Vehicles, vehicle parts, boats, caravans, trailers (fridges/freezers from caravans/motorhomes/boats are not accepted).

Chargeable waste

Further information about chargeable waste.

Site health and safety

Further information about site health and safety

Site user and vehicle restrictions

Further information about site user and vehicle restrictions.

Further information about the van permit system.

Location