Since 2017 our team has engaged with residents across the nine authorities in Devon. Areas are determined by the local authority partners, and we work closely with them to deliver on their key messages and specific target areas. Our team engages with residents to improve awareness around contamination and to increase capture rates for DMR (dry mixed recycling), food waste and compost, as well as providing suggestions around decreasing residual household waste.
Our advisors ensure residents are equipped with all the containers they need to make full use of their recycling services, promoting waste reduction and garden waste collections as appropriate. Supporting the authorities by educating residents about service changes and/or roll-out of new materials is also a key part of the service provided.
Through this work, Devon County Council (in partnership with nine authorities in Devon) is looking to:
- Increase recycling, food waste and garden waste capture rates
- Decrease household residual waste
- Decrease contamination in household recycling
- Increase uptake in home composting
- Increase awareness around waste minimisation and reuse
- Promote sign ups to the Mailing Preference Service
- Our advisors also assist in county-wide promotional work when required
This ongoing project has seen many positive outcomes over the last seven years. At the end of the most recent year (2023-2024) these included:
- 15,233 households visited.
- 6,110 residents spoken to on the doorstep.
- 2,390 recycling containers given out.
- High contact rates on the doorstep (averaged 38.4% across all areas).
The Devon Waste and Recycling Advisor programme is funded by Devon County Council and is managed by Resource Futures staff.
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