Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without the perennial puzzle of when to put the bins out. Councils all over Devon are making special arrangements to make sure collections continue right over the festive season.
But there will be changes in the days when you get your bins emptied, and they vary from council to council. Here’s a run down of the latest information from all of Devon’s councils about which days you can expect the bin lorries to stop in your street.
EAST DEVON:
Revised collection dates are as follows (revised dates in brackets): Thursday 25 December (Monday 29 December); Friday 26 December (Tuesday 30 December); Monday 29 December (Wednesday 31 December); Tuesday 30 December (Friday 2 January); Wednesday 31 December (Saturday 3 January); Thursday 1 January (Monday 5 January); Friday 2 January (Tuesday 6 January); Monday 5 January (Wednesday 7 January); Tuesday 6 January (Thursday 8 January); Wednesday 7 January (Thursday 9 January); Thursday 8 January (Saturday 10 January); Friday 9 January (Monday 12 January); Monday 12 January (Tuesday 13 January); Tuesday 13 January (Wednesday 14 January); Wednesday 14 January (Thursday 15 January); Thursday 15 January (Friday 16 January); Friday 16 January (Saturday 17 January).
Collections return to normal from Monday 19 January 2026.
Garden waste will not be collected after Friday 19 December until Monday 19 January.
Christmas trees can be recycled in your green waste bin (but must not have branches thicker than 100mm) or can be taken to local car parks between set times on specific days.
EXETER
Revised collection dates are as follows (revised date in brackets): Thursday December 25 (Monday December 29); Friday December 26 (Tuesday December 30); Monday December 29 (Wednesday December 31); Tuesday December 30 (Friday January 2); Wednesday December 31 (Saturday January 3); Thursday January 1 (Monday January 5); Friday January 2 (Tuesday January 6); Monday January 5 (Wednesday January 7); Tuesday January 6 (Thursday January 8); Wednesday January 7 (Friday January 9); Thursday January 8 (Saturday January 10); Friday January 9 (Monday January 12); Monday January 12 (Tuesday January 13); Tuesday January 13 (Wednesday January 14); Wednesday January 14 (Thursday January 15); Thursday January 15 (Friday January 16); Friday January 16 (Saturday January 17).
Collection days will return to normal from Monday January 19.
MID DEVON:
Revised collection dates are as follows – (revised dates in brackets): Thursday 25 December (Saturday 27 December); Friday 26 December (Monday 29 December); Monday 29 December (Tuesday 30 December); Tuesday 30 December (Wednesday 31 December); Wednesday 31 December (Friday 2 January); Thursday 1 January (Saturday 3 January); Friday 2 January (Monday 5 January); Monday 5 January (Tuesday 6 January); Tuesday 6 January (Wednesday 7 January); Wednesday 7 January (Thursday 8 January); Thursday 8 January (Friday 9 January); Friday 9 January (Saturday 10 January); Monday 12 January as scheduled.
Bulky Waste: Thursday 25 December (Thursday 8 January); Friday 26 December (Friday 2 January); Monday 29 December and Tuesday 30 December as scheduled; Thursday 1 January (Thursday 8 January) Friday 2 January and Monday 5 January as scheduled.
Real Christmas trees can be collected by the garden waste service until 31 January. Residents can place their tree out on a scheduled garden collection day (opposite week to recycling collection). Trees must be under 6ft tall and trunk must not be larger than 4 inches (100mm) in diameter.
TEIGNBRIDGE
Revised collection dates are as follows (revised date in brackets): Thursday December 25 (Monday December 29); Friday December 26 (Tuesday December 30); Monday December 29 (Wednesday December 31); Tuesday December 30 (Friday January 2); Wednesday December 31 (Saturday January 3); Thursday January 1 (Monday January 5); Friday January 2 (Tuesday January 6); Monday January 5 (Wednesday January 7); Tuesday January 6 (Thursday January 8); Wednesday January 7 (Friday January 9); Thursday January 8 (Saturday January 10); Friday January 9 (Monday January 12); Monday January 12 (Tuesday January 13); Tuesday January 13 (Wednesday January 14); Wednesday January 14 (Thursday January 15); Thursday January 15 (Friday January 16); Friday January 16 (Saturday January 17).
There are no garden waste collections between Christmas Day and Friday January 9. Collections will restart on Saturday January 10.
TORBAY
Revised collection dates are as follows (revised date in brackets): Thursday December 25 (Monday December 29); Friday December 26 (Tuesday December 30); Monday December 29 (Wednesday December 31); Tuesday December 30 (Friday January 2); Wednesday December 31 (Saturday January 3); Thursday January 1 (Monday January 5); Friday January 2 (Tuesday January 6); Monday January 5 (Wednesday January 7); Tuesday January 6 (Thursday January 8); Wednesday January 7 (Friday January 9); Thursday January 8 (Saturday January 10); Friday January 9 (Monday January 12); Monday January 12 (Tuesday January 13); Tuesday January 13 (Wednesday January 14); Wednesday January 14 (Thursday January 15); Thursday January 15 (Friday January 16); Friday January 16 (Saturday January 17).
Collection days will return to normal from Monday January 19.
The recycling centre is open throughout the Christmas and New Year period except Christmas Day, Boxing Day, Saturday December 27 and New Year’s Day.
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