If you’re anything like us your house will be full to the brim with wrapping paper, cardboard and food waste at the end of Christmas Day. Regular bin collections will be moved back by almost a week this year (check your Christmas bin collection dates here), so it will be a good idea to recycle as much as you possibly can in your green bin over the Christmas holidays
Here is a handy summary from the Leeds.gov.uk website on what you can and can’t recycle in your wheelie bins this Christmas and some suggestions for non-recyclables.
Christmas Cards
Recycle any greetings cards in your green bin, except glittery and metallic ones. Why not reuse any glittery or metallic cards buy making them into gift tags?
Wrapping Paper
With the exception of the shiny metallic and glitter varieties, all paper, including wrapping paper, is recyclable. To find out if paper is recyclable try the scrunch test. Paper that is recyclable stays in a ball when it is scrunched in the hand.
Food Waste
You can compost your vegetable peelings and cooked food in your home compost bin. Visit Love Food Hate Waste for handy tips on planning meals and reducing food waste.
Glass Bottles & Jars
Glass is endlessly recyclable, but not in your black or green household bins. Take your empty bottles and jars to a glass bank and you can leave caps and lids on as they will get recycled too. Find your nearest glass bank on the Council’s glass recycling page or by downloading the handy Leeds Bins app.
Polystyrene
Polystyrene can’t be recycled. Dispose of small amounts in your black household waste bin. Larger pieces can be broken down or placed in the general waste skip at your local household waste recycling site (tip).
Real Christmas Trees
Real Christmas trees can be taken to all recycling centres, but residents with the following postcodes can help raise money for St. Gemma’s Hospice and have their trees collected from their doorstep. The hospice collects trees from LS6, LS7, LS8, LS14, LS15, LS16, LS17, LS18, LS28, in return for a donation, which can be registered online at St Gemma’s Hospice Christmas tree collection. Collection dates are between 7th and 11th January 2020.
Batteries
Single cell household batteries e.g. AA or AAA can be taken to collection points at any retailers where batteries are sold and to many council premises e.g. libraries, sports centres, One Stop Centres, schools etc. They can also be recycled at some bring sites and all household waste recycling sites (tips).
Bubble Wrap
Bubble wrap can be recycled in your green bin.
Plastic Packaging
Carrier bags, bread bags, toilet and kitchen roll wrappers, and stretchy fresh or frozen fruit and vegetable bags can all be recycled in your green bin. Check out the Council’s plastic recycling page for all the other plastic items that can be recycled in Leeds.
Shredded Paper
Shredded paper can go in your home composter as it rots down quickly to create good garden compost. Alternatively, it can be reused as pet bedding. If you aren’t able to compost or reuse it then please place it in your black rubbish bin, not the green recycling or brown garden waste bin.
Check what items can be recycled in your green bin or visit the Council’s A-Z of reusing, recycling and waste disposal for advice on what to do with even more unwanted items and materials.
Additional waste can be taken to any of the City’s eight household waste recycling sites (tips). The sites are open 7 days a week 8am-4pm and close only on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
The Revive Leeds shops at the Kirkstall and Seacroft household waste recycling sites and other charities across Leeds would also be grateful for donations of your unwanted Christmas gifts, or any other items in good condition.
