Important information - update regarding resumption of brown bin collections in Leeds

With fortnightly brown bin collections set to resume in the city from Monday, March 22, residents are advised to please note the following important information.

Due to the range of challenges associated with coronavirus, the council would like to in advance, thank residents for their patience and understanding when brown bin collections restart next week. To keep up to date on when your brown bin and all collections are expected, residents are advised to download the handy Leeds Bins app on their mobile phone, or check their days via: www.leeds.gov.uk/mybinday

Whilst every effort will be made to ensure that all brown bin collections are undertaken on the appropriate day, the emptying of black and green bins continues to be the priority. Currently, a much higher than usual amount of waste is being generated by each household in Leeds. In terms of black bins, this increase in waste is up to 20% most days.

With the council continuing to meet this extra demand in waste, whilst also balancing the requirement for symptomatic staff and their crew bubbles to self-isolate and for CEV staff to shield due to coronavirus, residents are advised, as they were in 2020, to take the following steps if their brown bin collection is missed; please leave your brown bin out for a couple of days and take it back in if not emptied in this time period. The council has set the target of trying to empty as many brown bins as possible before the Easter period but this will be subject to the highlighted demands on the service due to the impact of coronavirus. In acknowledgment of the late start this year and of any potential issues that may occur, the council will also look to extend the brown bin collection this year by a couple of weeks at the end of autumn.

Any Leeds residents wishing to further support recycling efforts in the city, can obtain a 35% discount on UK manufactured garden and food composting bins. To find out more about the initiative, which is being offered by local recycling company Great Green Systems, please visit: www.leeds.gov.uk/compost

Further Information on the best and most environmentally effective ways in which to use garden waste and compost, create insect and bird friendly wood piles in the garden and to find out more regarding the benefits of leaving grass cuttings on the lawn can be found online; via organisations such as the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and the BBC.

Residents are also reminded that any garden waste which would normally be put in a brown bin can be taken and disposed of for free at any of the city’s Household Waste and Recycling Centres. Please note, a time slot must be booked to visit any of these sites.

Councillor Mohammed Rafique, Leeds City Council’s executive member for environment and active lifestyles, said:

“I am pleased that despite the impact of coronavirus on our refuse service, we will be in a position to resume brown bin collections from next week. This would not be possible without the hard work and dedication of our staff and also the tremendous support shown by our local residents. I would again like to thank everyone for all their efforts during this difficult time.

“Whilst we will do everything we can to ensure all residents receive a brown bin collection before the Easter period it is very much dependent on the many challenges we face through coronavirus. We are as a service continuing to prioritise the emptying of black and green bins if any are missed, and this will remain the case when brown bin collection resume. I would like to reassure residents that we will be doing everything possible to ensure that every bin of all different colours are emptied on the appropriate day.”