A-Z of waste and materials

Faeces - animal waste

You cannot take animal waste to recycling centres in Teignbridge. This kind of waste can be collected with your normal domestic refuse providing this is of domestic quantity. Animal waste must not be put in your green wheelie bin for composting.

Fire ash

Ash should be disposed of in your black general waste bin. 

Wood ash is a useful addition to any compost heap or cone, so if you have one it would be best to be composted at home.

We cannot accept ash in the green wheelie bin due to the potential toxins in the different types and difficulties identifying the type of ash in terms of compliance monitoring.

Flat glass

Flat glass can be taken to your local recycling centre. We cannot accept this in your green recycling box due to the type of glass and for health and safety reasons.

Flower pots

Broken terracotta pots can be placed at the bottom of new planter pots to help improve drainage. Otherwise they should go in your black general waste bin. Old plastic flower pots that are clean can be put in one of the mixed plastic packaging banks across the district, but cannot be recycled along with household plastics in the black recycling box.

Flowers

Cut flowers can be put either in the outdoor food waste container or the green bin for subscribers to the garden waste collection service. Alternatively, they can be composted at home.

Fluorescent tubes

Fluorescent tubes are the strip lights normally found in kitchens. They are classed as hazardous waste and must be disposed of properly as they contain mercury. You can take any old tubes to your local recycling centre for disposal.

Fly-tipping

If you spot fly-tipping please report it to us.

Foil

Clean takeaway trays, pie trays, foil milk bottle top, etc. can be recycled in your black recycling box or taken to a foil bank or your local recycling centre.

Food cans

These can be recycled in your black recycling box. They can also be taken to your local recycling centre or a recycling bank.

Food waste

Food waste that is put into landfill breaks down anaerobically and produces methane, a powerful gas contributing to climate change. All your food waste including cooked and uncooked scraps, tea bags, coffee grounds, fruit & veg peelings, bread, pasta, cereal, egg shells, dairy products, bones, plate scrapings, meat and fish should be placed into your outdoor food waste container. This is sent to an anaerobic digestion plant in Somerset where it is converted into electricity. Food waste cannot be taken to the recycling centre.

Fridges and freezers

If your old appliance still works, someone else may want it. Contact Refurnish who may be able to collect it and reuse or recycle it. We can arrange for a special collection as part of our chargeable bulky waste collection service for fridges or freezers. Alternatively you can take your old appliance to your local recycling centre.

Furniture

A bulky waste collection service is available for the special collection of large domestic items such as wardrobes, beds, tables, fridge/freezers, cookers, microwaves, dishwashers and garden waste (please be aware that the items must be located outside the house as we cannot allow our staff to collect items from inside your property for insurance purposes). There is a charge for this service. Alternatively, you can take your bulky waste items to your local recycling centre, and some charities may be able to take your items if they are re-usable. Try Refurnish who may be able to collect your goods from you free of charge.