21 May 2020
Further update regarding the resumption of brown bin collections, reopening of Household Waste and Recycling Centres and bulky waste collection service
A further update regarding the resumption of bulky waste collections, brown bin collections and Household Waste and Recycling Centres (HWRCs) has been provided by Leeds City Council today.
The council has confirmed plans to restart brown bin collections from this Monday (May 25). As part of the service restarting, brown bin collections will also be expanded to include new and known, planned housing developments that are eligible for a brown bin and who may not as yet have received a service. All households with a brown bin collection will be sent a letter a few days beforehand, informing them of their first brown bin collection day. Many brown bin collection days will change, and residents are asked to please keep a close eye on their post for the letter. The new collection dates/day are now on the LCC website’s “check your bin day” page and the Leeds Bins app for mobile phones.
Given the service was suspended in March due to Coronavirus, a high level of demand is expected when collections resume. Added to this, black bin waste levels are still as much as 20% more than usual at the moment and there remains a significant number of staff off work with Covid19 issues. We ask that residents be patient if their brown bin does not get collected on the first scheduled collection. If storing the garden waste is a problem, there are plenty of slots available to book at the household waste and recycling centres now open across the city – please note that it is admission by pre-booking only at the sites.
The seven Leeds City Council HWRCs now open in the city are: Kirkstall; Meanwood; Middleton; Pudsey; Seacroft; Yeadon (Milner’s Road); Wetherby (Thorp Arch). Bookings are being taken for 20,000 slots a week.
The reopening of HWRC sites in Leeds has not seen long queues and waiting times outside sites. The introduction of a temporary, mandatory booking system for the sites in Leeds has helped achieve this, with residents expressing positive feedback on how the sites are being safely and effectively run. The council will continue to review the temporary site rules and restrictions, and where it is safe to do so, make further changes as appropriate to reflect demand. People should still only be booking a visit if they feel it is necessary.
As outlined earlier this month, bookings for bulky waste collections can now also be taken from this week. Whilst the council will endeavour to offer as many booking slots as is possible in the context of existing resources, this service will be limited and booked up quickly. Residents are therefore asked to only attempt a booking where they have no other alternative. To book a collection, please visit the council website at: https://www.leeds.gov.uk/residents/bins-and-recycling
Further updates regarding the council’s waste services will be provided on www.leeds.gov.uk and through social media channels including on Twitter @LCCNews, Facebook at: Leeds City Council and Leeds Recycles. Excellent advice and tips on how to reduce and recycle waste continues to be provided by Zero Waste Leeds through their website at: https://www.zerowasteleeds.org.uk/ and social media accounts. The Leeds Bins app providing a range of information can also be downloaded on your mobile.
Important update regarding resumption of brown bin collections and bulky waste collections:
Following the announcement of the phased reopening of Leeds’ Household Waste and Recycling Centres starting next week, brown bin and large item (bulky waste) collections are also set to resume later this month across the city.
We have set out plans to restart brown bin collections from Monday, 25 May 2020. This will be two months since the current “lockdown” was announced by government and at which point the service was suspended. By suspending this lower-priority service, we have been able to successfully focus reduced staffing levels on continuing to deliver a reliable and safe black and green bin collection service for the city; emptying over 3.2 million bins and managing up to 20% extra household waste. Although there remain significant council-wide challenges and staff absences to manage due to the continued impact of Covid19, we are now in a position to plan the restart of and extend brown bin collections for the end of the month, whilst maintaining the level of black and green bin collections. As part of proposals, brown bin collections will be expanded to include new and known, planned housing developments that are eligible for a brown bin and who may not as yet have received a service.
All households with a brown bin collection will be sent a letter a few days beforehand, informing them of their first brown bin collection day. Many brown bin collection days will change, and residents are asked to please keep an eye on their post for the letter and also the council website and associated social media channels. Residents are also encouraged to download the handy Leeds Bin mobile phone app where updates will be provided.
We have also outlined proposals to restart our large item (bulky waste) collection service during the week commencing 18 May. With many households still requiring to self-isolate and shield relatives, we have taken the decision to offer this service free of charge whilst these restrictions are in place. Whilst the council will endeavour to offer as many booking slots as is possible in the context of existing resources, this service will be limited, and residents are asked if feasible, to store any waste and continue their efforts to reduce and reuse.
This announcement follows an update provided by the council earlier this week regarding the intention to begin the phased, safe reopening of Household Waste and Recycling Centres (HWRCs) next week for pre-booked appointments only.
To further support recycling efforts in the city, the council is working in partnership with local recycling company Great Green Systems to offer an exclusive 35% discount to residents on UK manufactured garden and food composting bins. We would like to thank the people of Leeds for their patience and understanding during this extremely challenging time and for the continued fantastic support for all council services, including that provided to our refuse crews.
Any further updates regarding these environmental services will be provided here www.leeds.gov.uk/residents/bins-and-recycling
