Council throws down the challenge to get Leeds recycling

Leeds City Council is challenging the city to recycle more, with almost a third of the average general waste bin still made up of materials that can be recycled.

Items like paper, glass, plastic and metal can all be recycled, but are still appearing in the general waste bin. As part of a city wide awareness campaign the council has issued a handy recycling guide to all Leeds residents to help them understand what they can recycle.

The equivalent weight of over 10 double decker buses of recycling waste is collected in the city each day. However, the people of Leeds can go even further and make a difference by recycling all of the everyday items that can be put in the green bin. These include:

• Mixed paper and card

• Food tins and drinks cans

• Plastic bottles

• Plastic bags

• Other plastics (types 1, 2 and 4).

• Aluminium foil

• Aerosols

Residents across the city are also encouraged to take any glass recycling to their local household waste sorting site, or their nearest bottle bank, of which there are over 700 in the city. Glass is endlessly recyclable, and can be back on the shelf as a new bottle or jar in around 30 days, but only if it is properly recycled. Glass that is thrown into the black and green household bins is wasted, with over 15,000 tonnes of glass bottles and jars thrown away last year.

Councillor Lucinda Yeadon, Leeds City Council executive member for environment and sustainability said:

“I would like to say a big thank you to all our residents who have made a real effort to recycle more –

but I also want to challenge the city to do more!

“We all lead busy lives, and it can be difficult to remember what goes in what bin. Therefore I hope our leaflet that comes out with the latest council tax statements will give everyone a handy quick guide as to what you can put in your green bin.

“In Leeds we recycled the equivalent weight of 3,192 double decker buses in green bins, and I know we can beat that this year!”

For more information about what you can recycle in your green bin visit https://www.leeds.gov.uk/ greenbin or download the Leeds Bins app on the Apple App store or via the Google Play store for android phones.