MORE than 30 new recycling bins are being installed in Mid Devon towns to encourage recycling outside of the home.

Currently, standard litter bins don’t allow people to separate different types of waste materials for recycling, something which is easy to do and already done by many at home as part of their local kerbside recycling service.

Aiming to capture some of the three billion plastic bottles, nine billion cans and almost three billion coffee cups consumed yearly on the go across the UK, Mid Devon District Council is installing 42 recycle on the go and waste bins. (33 recycle bins and nine waste bins).

The bins will be located across three of the Mid Devon towns – Tiverton, Cullompton and Crediton, where footfall is greatest.

Cllr Colin Slade, Cabinet Member for the Environment and Climate Change, said: “We know our communities want to play a bigger part protecting the environment and I am pleased we can now help them to recycle while they are out and about. This is a great step towards improving the recycling rate in our district as well as towards our goal of becoming carbon neutral.”

The purchase and installation of the additional bins is being funded by a grant from the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP).

The Council will take on the responsibility to empty the bins and take the waste for recycling and once emptied will weigh and analyse the material collected. This will enable the Council to understand whether the bins are being used appropriately and if they are having a positive impact on recycling rates in our communities.

It is important the bins are only used for recyclable materials such as drink bottles and cans, with non-recyclable waste and dog waste, contaminating the contents, making it unsuitable to recycle.

Cllr Slade added: “Some of our towns and parishes have already installed similar new bins and it is great to see everyone in Mid Devon is working together to help our communities recycle more.”