Bins and recycling in Leeds
What goes in each of Leeds's bins, and where to take the things they don't collect. This page uses Leeds City Council's own published information, checked 10 Oct 2026.
Recycle This is independent: it isn't run by Leeds City Council. If anything here differs from Leeds City Council's website, the council is right.
Your bins in Leeds
Black rubbish bin
Green recycling bin
Brown garden waste bin
Flat with shared bins: Blocks of flats use shared black rubbish bins and shared green recycling bins in a bin store, with the same recycling rules as houses. Most blocks have no brown garden bin.
Source: Leeds City Council's website.
Bin days in Leeds
Check your collection day with Leeds City Council's bin day lookup, or use Bin days on this site.
Get the app
Snap a photo instead of typing, and get a reminder the evening before bin day.
Garden waste and bulky items
Garden waste collection is available. The council's brown bin pages give no price, subscription or sign-up route, and don't say whether the brown bin is free or paid; the A to Z page says fortnightly garden waste collections 'through the growing season' to certain areas; homes without a brown bin can book a one-off collection of up to 4 items or 4 double-bagged lots (no charge given). (source)
One free unwanted items collection per household each financial year, or up to 4 if you get council tax support. Extra collections are charged, and slots can run out. Furniture, TVs, fridges, beds and mattresses can also go free to any Leeds recycling centre, and several Leeds charities collect reusable furniture free. Book or check prices with Leeds City Council.
Recycling centres for Leeds
Household waste recycling centres take what your bins can't. Some need a booking: check before you go.
Kirkstall Household Waste Recycling Centre
Evanston Avenue, Kirkstall, Leeds LS4 2HR
Opening hours: Summer (30 March to 25 October 2026): 8am to 6pm; Winter (26 October 2026 to 28 March 2027): 8am to 4pm. Open every day except 25 and 26 December and 1 January. Last entry 15 minutes before closing.
Booking: No booking for cars or bicycles. Vans, pick-ups and trailers need a council permit. Leeds residents only, no pedestrians.
Takes coffee pods, Pringles-type tubes and household asbestos (by appointment). Revive Leeds reuse shop on site. No gas bottles or fire extinguishers. DIY waste limited to 4 visits a month.
Source: leeds.gov.uk
Meanwood Household Waste Recycling Centre
Meanwood Road, Meanwood, Leeds LS7 2LP
Opening hours: Summer (30 March to 25 October 2026): 8am to 6pm; Winter (26 October 2026 to 28 March 2027): 8am to 4pm. Open every day except 25 and 26 December and 1 January. Last entry 15 minutes before closing.
Booking: No booking for cars or bicycles. Vans, pick-ups and trailers need a council permit. Leeds residents only, no pedestrians.
No gas bottles or fire extinguishers. DIY waste limited to 4 visits a month.
Source: leeds.gov.uk
Middleton Household Waste Recycling Centre
Holme Well Road, Middleton, Leeds LS10 4TQ
Opening hours: Summer (30 March to 25 October 2026): 8am to 6pm; Winter (26 October 2026 to 28 March 2027): 8am to 4pm. Open every day except 25 and 26 December and 1 January. Last entry 15 minutes before closing.
Booking: No booking for cars or bicycles. Vans, pick-ups and trailers need a council permit. Leeds residents only, no pedestrians.
No gas bottles or fire extinguishers. DIY waste limited to 4 visits a month.
Source: leeds.gov.uk
Otley (Ellar Ghyll) Household Waste Recycling Centre
Bradford Road, Otley LS21 3DN
Opening hours: Summer (30 March to 25 October 2026): 8am to 6pm; Winter (26 October 2026 to 28 March 2027): 8am to 4pm. Open every day except 25 and 26 December and 1 January. Last entry 15 minutes before closing.
Booking: No booking for cars or bicycles. Vans, pick-ups and trailers need a council permit. Leeds residents only, no pedestrians.
Smaller site: no rubble, tyres, carpets, furniture, mattresses or paint listed. Only engine oil and vegetable oil (5 litres). No gas bottles or fire extinguishers. DIY waste limited to 4 visits a month.
Source: leeds.gov.uk
Pudsey Household Waste Recycling Centre
Richardshaw Road, Grangefield Industrial Estate, Pudsey LS28 6LG
Opening hours: Summer (30 March to 25 October 2026): 8am to 6pm; Winter (26 October 2026 to 28 March 2027): 8am to 4pm. Open every day except 25 and 26 December and 1 January. Last entry 15 minutes before closing.
Booking: No booking for cars or bicycles. Vans, pick-ups and trailers need a council permit. Leeds residents only, no pedestrians.
No gas bottles or fire extinguishers. DIY waste limited to 4 visits a month.
Source: leeds.gov.uk
Seacroft Household Waste Recycling Centre
Limewood Road, Seacroft, Leeds LS14 1LU
Opening hours: Summer (30 March to 25 October 2026): 8am to 6pm; Winter (26 October 2026 to 28 March 2027): 8am to 4pm. Open every day except 25 and 26 December and 1 January. Last entry 15 minutes before closing.
Booking: No booking for cars or bicycles. Vans, pick-ups and trailers need a council permit. Leeds residents only, no pedestrians.
Revive Leeds reuse shop on site. No gas bottles or fire extinguishers. DIY waste limited to 4 visits a month.
Source: leeds.gov.uk
Wetherby (Thorp Arch) Household Waste Recycling Centre
Thorp Arch Industrial Estate, Leeds LS23 7BJ
Opening hours: Summer (30 March to 25 October 2026): 8am to 6pm; Winter (26 October 2026 to 28 March 2027): 8am to 4pm. Open every day except 25 and 26 December and 1 January. Last entry 15 minutes before closing.
Booking: No booking for cars or bicycles. Vans, pick-ups and trailers need a council permit. Leeds residents only, no pedestrians.
Also takes coffee pods, Pringles-type tubes and printer cartridges. No gas bottles or fire extinguishers. DIY waste limited to 4 visits a month.
Source: leeds.gov.uk
Yeadon Household Waste Recycling Centre
Milner's Road, Yeadon, Leeds LS19 7JE
Opening hours: Summer (30 March to 25 October 2026): 8am to 6pm; Winter (26 October 2026 to 28 March 2027): 8am to 4pm. Open every day except 25 and 26 December and 1 January. Last entry 15 minutes before closing.
Booking: No booking for cars or bicycles. Vans, pick-ups and trailers need a council permit. Leeds residents only, no pedestrians.
Also takes coffee pods and Pringles-type tubes. No gas bottles or fire extinguishers. DIY waste limited to 4 visits a month.
Source: leeds.gov.uk
Where common items go in Leeds
- Pizza boxYes. Put it in your Green recycling bin. Source: Leeds City Council
- Plastic carrier bagYes. Put it in your Green recycling bin. Source: Leeds City Council
- Crisp packetThis can't be recycled here. Put it in your Black rubbish bin. Source: Leeds City Council
- Black plastic ready-meal trayThis can't be recycled here. Put it in your Black rubbish bin. Source: Leeds City Council
- Paper coffee cupThis can't be recycled here. Put it in your Black rubbish bin. Source: Leeds City Council
- Wine bottleYes. Put it in your Green recycling bin. Source: Leeds City Council
- Glass jarYes. Put it in your Green recycling bin. Source: Leeds City Council
- Kitchen foilYes. Put it in your Green recycling bin. Source: Leeds City Council
- Food scraps and leftoversThis can't be recycled here. Put it in your Black rubbish bin. Source: Leeds City Council
- Tea bagThis can't be recycled here. Put it in your Black rubbish bin. Source: Leeds City Council
- ClothesNot in your home bins. Take it to a drop-off point. Source: Leeds City Council
- Battery (not sure which type)Not in your home bins. Take it to a drop-off point. Source: Leeds City Council
- Disposable vapeNot in your home bins. Take it to a drop-off point. Source: Leeds City Council
- Light bulb (not sure which type)Not in any home bin. Take it to a household waste recycling centre. Source: Leeds City Council
- Small household applianceNot in any home bin. Take it to a household waste recycling centre. Source: Leeds City Council
- Paint tinNot in any home bin. Take it to a household waste recycling centre. Source: Leeds City Council
- Real Christmas treeYes. Put it in your Brown garden waste bin. Source: Leeds City Council
- Cardboard boxYes. Put it in your Green recycling bin. Source: Leeds City Council
- Food cartonYes. Put it in your Green recycling bin. Source: Leeds City Council
- Plastic drinks bottleYes. Put it in your Green recycling bin. Source: Leeds City Council
- Till receiptThis can't be recycled here. Put it in your Black rubbish bin. Source: Leeds City Council
Something else? Search any item and choose Leeds as your council.
How Leeds compares
- Weekly shop basket Collects 20 of 22 everyday packaging items from home. Joint 22nd of 279 councils in England. Not collected from home: Black plastic ready-meal tray, Crisp packet
- Recycling rate 37.3% of household waste was reused, recycled or composted in 2024-25 (Defra). 55th of 97 councils that collect waste and run the tips in England.
- Food waste Not collected from home yet. We don't have a start date.
As of 24 Oct 2026. See all the council rankings.
Common questions
What goes in the black rubbish bin in Leeds?
General household rubbish that can't be recycled, with the lid closed. Extra bags on top of or beside the bin are not collected. Homes on a bag collection can put out up to 3 bags. No batteries, energy-saving bulbs, gas bottles, car parts, paint, rubble, soil, large branches, needles or medicines. Outside the Wetherby area trial, food waste goes in here too.
What goes in the green recycling bin in Leeds?
Clean, dry mixed recycling, loose: paper, cardboard, cartons, cans, aerosols, foil and foil trays, glass bottles and jars, plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays, and soft plastics such as carrier bags, cling film, bubble wrap, film lids and bread, cereal and salad bags. No black plastic, black bin bags, compostable plastic, foil-lined plastic, drinking glasses, shredded paper, polystyrene, electricals, light bulbs, wood, food or garden waste. Extra recycling is taken in a clear or green bag beside the bin. Homes on a bag collection use bags instead of a bin.
What goes in the brown garden waste bin in Leeds?
Garden waste collection for homes in areas that have a brown bin: grass, leaves, flowers and plants, hedge clippings, twigs and branches up to 3cm thick and windfall fruit, all loose. No plastic of any kind (even compostable), soil, rubble, pet waste, invasive weeds or food. Collections pause over winter, except in the Wetherby area food waste trial, where the brown bin is emptied all year and also takes food waste from a kitchen caddy.
When is my bin day in Leeds?
It depends on your street. Enter your address in Leeds City Council's bin day lookup (leeds.gov.uk), or use Bin days on Recycle This.