HUNDREDS of homes in the Culm Valley will be included in a new recycling trial being launched by Mid Devon District Council later this month.

A three-month initiative to recycle unusable metal pots and pans will start on February 28 as the authority looks to boost its recycling rates.

Selected homes in Uffculme and Willand will be covered by the project, which runs until May 23.

A council spokesperson said recycling rates had improved significantly since the introduction of its Bin-It 123 three-weekly waste collections in 2022.

More than 58 per cent of all waste in the district was now recycled.

The spokesperson said: “This trial is part of the council’s ongoing efforts to help residents recycle as much as possible.

“Residents included in the trial can place their old metal pots and pans on top of their recycling container for collection.

“However, the council encourages people to consider re-using first, donating items in good condition to charity shops, or passing them on to friends, family, or neighbours.”

Council cabinet member Cllr Josh Wright said: “Our community has made fantastic progress in recycling more, and we want to keep that momentum going.

“This trial is just one of the ways we are looking to make it even easier for residents to recycle everything they can.

“We appreciate everybody’s participation and feedback as we test this new collection.”

Anybody whose home has been selected for inclusion in the pots and pans recycling trial will be notified with a letter from the council.

The authority will collect data during the trial period which will help councillors decide later whether to expand the service across the whole of Mid Devon.

The council recycles collected items in the UK where possible, but some have to go to Europe for reprocessing, and it uses any income to reduce the cost of waste collection services.