Recycling rules are a lot like making the brews in a busy office, no matter how hard you try and follow instructions, you always end up looking like a mug. But we’re here to change that! We’ve laid out what you can and can’t recycle, as well as some general bin rules that may have been lost in translation. With this handy guide, you’ll be a recycling genius in no time.
According to Leeds City Council:
Here’s what you CAN put into your recycling bins:
Green bin:
- Aluminium
- Aerosols
- Bubble wrap
- Cardboard
- Carrier bags
- Cartons and Tetra Paks
- Foil (including food containers and takeaway trays)
- Metal cans
- Paper
- Plastic bottles, tubs and pots
- Plastic types 1 (PET), 2 (HDPE), 4 (LDPE) and 5 (PP)
- Stretchy plastic bags and wrapping
Brown bin:
- Flowers and plants
- Grass cuttings
- Hedge clippings
- Leaves
- Twigs and small branches (no more than 3cm thick)
- Windfall fruit
Here’s what CANNOT go into your recycling bins:
Green bin:
- Black or brown plastic
- Black bin bags
- Compostable or biodegradable plastic
- Electrical items
- Food waste
- Garden waste
- Glass
- Polystyrene
- Shredded paper (this causes problems with recycling machinery)
- Syringes or needles
- Wood or timber
Brown bin:
- Branches over 3cm thick
- Food waste, including fruit and vegetable peelings
- Giant Hogweed, Himalayan Balsam, Japanese Knotweed, and Ragwort
- Pet bedding, pet waste or cat litter
- Plastic of any kind, including compostable and biodegradable plastics
- Rubble
- Soil or compost
A few extra notes from your council on Leeds’ recycling rules
Before you pop your recycling into your green bin, make sure it’s clean and dry. That way, there won’t be any contamination. As well, please place your recycling directly into the bin – there shouldn’t be any plastic bags in the mix!
Have a lot of food waste and don’t have a food waste bin? Try composting! We’ve got a handy how-to guide on our sustainability blog that gives you all the deets.
For more of Leeds’ recycling details, just follow the link here.
*This information is up to date as of 07 April 2022.
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