Annual Christmas bin collection changes

Waste and recycling bin collection changes are to take place over the Christmas and new year period.

Collections will take place up until and including Christmas Eve – Sunday 24 December. Bins scheduled to be emptied on Christmas day will instead be emptied the day before on Christmas Eve. Otherwise all other collections will be made a day later than normal with usual service resuming Monday 8 January.

The council is also asking residents to spread some goodwill and remind neighbours that bin collection dates will change during the Christmas period and help them avoid missing collection days.

Residents can check their bin collection dates at any time throughout the year by downloading the Leeds Bins app which also provides handy collection reminders straight to your phone or visiting www.leeds.gov.uk/mybinday.

A postcard reminder has been issued to all households detailing collection changes. As well as dates being available through the above link and app, they can also be obtained from housing offices, local neighbourhood networks, libraries, one stop centres, post offices and community centres.

Festive recycling can be taken to any of the eight recycling centres across the city, which are open 8am to 4pm seven days a week and will close only for Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Glass bottles and jars can be recycled at nearly 700 bottle banks in over 350 locations across the city. They can be found at www.leeds.gov.uk/glass or via the Leeds Bins app.

Real Christmas trees can be taken to all recycling centres, but the following postcodes can help raise money for St. Gemma’s Hospice and have trees collected and from the doorstep.

The hospice collect trees from LS6, LS7, LS8, LS9, LS13, LS14, LS15, LS16, LS17, LS18, LS19, LS28, in return for a donation, which can be registered online at www.events.st-gemma.co.uk/Events/Christmas-Tree-Collection-2018. Collection dates are between 9 and 13 January.

To help people reduce the amount of waste they produce in the first place, the council’s team of waste advisors are offering hints, tips and ideas on Facebook and Twitter. Follow them @LeedsWasteDocs or www.facebook.com/leedswastedocs.

Councillor Lucinda Yeadon, deputy leader and executive member for environment and sustainability said:

“We’ve done a lot of work this year to help people recycle more of the right items in their green bin. This is the time of year where we really hope to see that work pay off.

“It’s important that we get the message out there that cardboard packaging from online purchases, envelopes with windows, non-glittery wrapping paper and Christmas cards can all go in your green bins. Recyclable paper and cardboard items thrown away in black bins cost the council a significant amount of and goes against the environmental sustainability work so many are passionate about in the city.”

“Most of our residents are just a few hundred yards away from their nearest bottle bank and the Leeds Bin App can help them find their nearest one. It might be closer than most people would think. The app is really helping avoid missed collection days and improving recycle rates across the city.”

The Leeds Bin App can be downloaded from Google Play or the App Store or alternatively visiting https://datamillnorth.org/products/leeds-bins/

For media enquiries please contact:

Dan Johnson, Leeds City Council press office (0113) 2243272

e-mail: daniel.johnson2@leeds.gov.uk