MORE than half of Teignbridge’s household rubbish was given a second life through recycling or composting last year, as new figures highlight the progress — and ongoing challenges — facing Devon’s waste services.

The district recorded a recycling rate of 52.6 per cent in 2025/26, according to figures presented to the Devon Authorities Strategic Waste Committee (DASWC).

Teignbridge was among five of Devon’s eight district councils to recycle or compost more than half of their household waste, matching West Devon’s rate of 52.6 per cent.

East Devon recorded the county’s highest recycling rate at 59.8 per cent, followed by Mid Devon at 56.4 per cent.

Torridge achieved 51.5 per cent, while South Hams recorded 48.9 per cent, North Devon 43.7 per cent and Exeter 32.6 per cent.

Across Devon and Torbay, households produced 350,816 tonnes of waste during 2025/26 — 4,400 tonnes, or 1.2 per cent, less than the previous year.

The amount of waste collected per person also fell from 417kg to 411kg, keeping the county on track towards its target of reducing this to 400kg per person by 2030.

However, the proportion of waste being recycled, reused or composted across Devon fell slightly, from 54.2 per cent to 53.4 per cent.

A total of 187,401 tonnes of household waste was recycled, reused or composted during the year.

Councillor Adam Billings, Chair of DASWC, said there was ‘plenty to be positive about’, pointing to falling waste levels, recycling rates above 50 per cent in five districts and improvements in Exeter.

‘The Shared Savings Scheme shows what councils can achieve by working together’, he said.

‘Through service changes and operational improvements it has cut waste by around 79,000 tonnes against projected levels and saved around £24 million’.

Launched in 2016, the scheme encouraged six district councils to reduce household waste and introduce changes to lower treatment and disposal costs.

Around £12 million of the savings was returned to participating councils and reinvested in local waste services, helping fund collection vehicles, depots, containers, equipment and technology.

Average recycling rates among the participating councils rose from 47.3 per cent to 52.2 per cent over the scheme.

Councillor Billings said more work was needed to improve recycling, particularly food waste collection.

He added: ‘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’.

Food and garden waste have a significant impact on recycling figures, with organic material accounting for around half of Devon’s recycling.

The amount of organic waste recycled or composted fell by 4,294 tonnes last year, from 98,644 tonnes to 94,350 tonnes.

Meanwhile, plastic and textile recycling increased, as did the volume of material being reused.