New kerbside recycling collection vehicles are being trialled in Exeter ahead of the introduction of a new scheme.

We recently announced that we will be introducing kerbside collections of glass and food waste. The new initiative is set to be brought in in 2021 at the earliest, to allow the Council to update its collection vehicles and sorting equipment at the Materials Reclamation Facility (MRF) at Exton Road.

New containers will also have to be introduced so that householders can collect the items. Currently the Council doesn’t have a food collection service and glass bottles and jars have to be taken to recycling banks around the city.

It’s a big undertaking and as part of the lead-in, the Council is trialling a vehicle similar to the one used in other local authority areas such as East Devon. The vehicle allows for the various recyclates to be separated and collected at the kerbside.

Cllr David Harvey, Lead Councillor for Environment and City Management, said: "People have said for years now that they want to recycle more and for glass to be recycled from the kerbside.

"We are now committed to implementing these changes but we want to make sure that we get it right. This is a long process before we introduce this scheme, so it makes sense to have a look at the vehicles that other councils are using and talk to them about how they have implemented this technology and the challenges they faced along the way. It’s crucial that we get this right before we start collecting."

With the introduction of food waste collections, less waste will need to go in the black bins. For this reason, the Council also plans to introduce three-weekly collections for household waste.