Recycling rules for Leeds
Based on Leeds published guidance · Last verified September 2026
Under Simpler Recycling, councils across England are standardising collections. Here's what currently goes in each bin in Leeds.
Search what goes in your bins →Quick answers for Leeds
Polystyrene: Not accepted in Leeds's recycling bin
Not recyclable kerbside.
Cardboard: Goes in your recycling bin
Flatten boxes.
Glass bottles and jars: Goes in your recycling bin
Rinse; or use your nearest bottle bank.
Food waste: Not accepted in Leeds's recycling bin
Contaminates clean recyclables.
Shredded paper: Goes in your general waste bin
Causes machinery problems.
Tins and cans: Goes in your recycling bin
Rinse.
Your bins in Leeds, by colour
Container colours as published by Leeds. Some homes get a different container. See the notes.
Black bin
General household waste
Bag-collection homes get a black hand bin
Brown bin
Garden waste
Limited to one per household; not all households are eligible
What goes in each bin
Recycling
Accepted
Metals
- Aluminium cans · Rinse and squash
- Aerosols
- Metal cans · Rinse
- Foil and foil trays · Rinse, scrunch foil into ball
Paper & Card
- Cardboard · Flatten boxes
- Paper
Plastics
- Carrier bags · Clean and dry
- Plastic bottles · Rinse, squash with lid on
- Plastic bags and wrap · From cereal, salad, pasta and rice
- Plastic pots, tubs and trays · Rinse — types 1, 2, 4, 5
- Plastic pouches · Detergent/cleaning — no foil
- Bubble wrap · Clean and dry
- Cling film · Clean and dry
Glass
- Glass · Rinse; or use your nearest bottle bank
Other
- Cartons and Tetra Paks · Rinse
Not accepted
- Black plastic · Not accepted in the green bin
- Black bin bags · Contaminates recycling stream
- Compostable or biodegradable plastic · Not recyclable kerbside
- Drinking glasses · Different glass type to bottles
- Electrical items · Contains hazardous partsInstead: Take to recycling centre
- Food waste · Contaminates clean recyclables
- Garden waste · Use brown bin or compost
- Light bulbs · Contains hazardous materialsInstead: Take to recycling centre
- Polystyrene · Not recyclable kerbside
- Syringes or needles · Hazardous wasteInstead: Return to pharmacy
- Wood or timber · Not recyclable kerbsideInstead: Take to recycling centre
Common mistakes
- Shredded paper→ goes in General Waste · Causes machinery problems
- Batteries · Take to a battery recycling point
- Paint · Take to a household waste recycling centre
Tips (12)
- • Recycling must be clean & dry
- • Squash bottles with lids on
- • Flatten all cardboard boxes
- • Rinse pots, tubs and trays
- • No black plastic
- • No food waste in recycling
- • Clean foil can be recycled
- • Carrier bags go in green bin
- • Bubble wrap is recyclable
- • No polystyrene packaging
- • Glass bottles — rinse first
- • Extra recycling in clear bags
Garden Waste
Accepted
- Flowers and plants
- Grass cuttings
- Hedge clippings
- Leaves
- Twigs and small branches · No more than 3cm thick
- Windfall fruit
Not accepted
- Branches over 3cm thick
- Food waste · Including fruit and vegetable peelings
- Giant hogweed
- Himalayan balsam
- Japanese knotweed
- Pet bedding, pet waste or cat litter
- Plastic of any kind · Including compostable and biodegradable plastics
- Ragwort
- Rubble
- Soil or compost
Tips (9)
- • Loose, never in plastic bags
- • Twigs no thicker than 3cm
- • No food waste or peelings
- • No compostable plastics
- • No soil, compost or rubble
- • No knotweed, hogweed or balsam
- • No pet waste or cat litter
- • Too heavy = not collected
- • Compost at home if you can
When are bins collected in Leeds?
This page covers what goes in each bin. Collection days are set by the council and vary by street. See how to find your bin collection day, or browse streets by postcode to see schedules your neighbours have added.
In Leeds, a bank holiday pushes that week's collections back by a day: after a Monday holiday, Monday's bins go out on Tuesday, Tuesday's on Wednesday, and so on. BinBosh adjusts your dates automatically, and your neighbours can vote on the actual day if it differs.
No streets in Leeds on BinBosh yet — be the first to add yours, and your neighbours can adopt it instead of setting up their own.
Frequently asked questions
What bin does polystyrene go in Leeds?
In Leeds, polystyrene can't go in your recycling bin. Not recyclable kerbside.
What bin does cardboard go in Leeds?
In Leeds, cardboard goes in your recycling bin. Flatten boxes.
What bin do glass bottles and jars go in Leeds?
In Leeds, glass goes in your recycling bin. Rinse; or use your nearest bottle bank.
What bin does food waste go in Leeds?
In Leeds, food waste can't go in your recycling bin. Contaminates clean recyclables.
What bin does shredded paper go in Leeds?
In Leeds, shredded paper goes in your general waste bin. Causes machinery problems.
What goes in the recycling bin in Leeds?
Leeds's recycling bin accepts aluminium cans, aerosols, metal cans, foil and foil trays, cardboard, paper, and more. Rinse and squash.
What goes in the garden waste bin in Leeds?
Leeds's garden waste bin accepts flowers and plants, grass cuttings, hedge clippings, leaves, twigs and small branches, windfall fruit, and more. No more than 3cm thick.
What can't be recycled in Leeds?
Items not accepted in Leeds: black plastic, black bin bags, compostable or biodegradable plastic, drinking glasses. Black plastic — not accepted in the green bin.
Helpful guides
Source: Leeds council website. Check your council's site for the latest updates.
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