Bins and recycling in Leicester

Your bins in Leicester

• Black bin

  Collected weekly General waste, in waste bags: nappies, tissues, crisp packets, polystyrene, food waste, pyrex and ceramics.

• Orange recycling bags

  Collected weekly Paper, card, cartons, glass bottles and jars, tins and cans, foil, and plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays, all mixed together.

• Green garden waste bin (subscription)

  Collected fortnightly Grass, leaves, hedge trimmings, small twigs, weeds, plants and flowers, loose. 240 litre bin, collected on Mondays.

Flat or student hall with shared bins: Most flats use shared communal bins. Put recycling in the shared recycling bin loose or in a clear bag, never in a black bag. Some small blocks still use orange bags.

Source: Leicester City Council's website.

Bin days in Leicester

Check your collection day with Leicester City Council's bin day lookup, or use Bin days on this site.

Garden waste and bulky items

Garden waste collection: £68 a year. £68 for 12 months (£63 by Direct Debit), no year named; fortnightly on Mondays from March to November. Season: Mar–Nov. (source)

One free collection every two months for up to five items, or 22 pounds per extra collection. Leicester city residents only. Book or check prices with Leicester City Council.

Recycling centres for Leicester

Household waste recycling centres take what your bins can't. Some need a booking: check before you go.

• Freemen's Common Recycling Centre

  Islington Street, Leicester, LE2 7SQ

  Opening hours: April to October: 8am to 8pm. November to March: 8am to 6pm. Open daily except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day; closes 2pm on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.

  Booking: No permit needed. Cars and cyclists only: no vans, pickups, pedestrians or cars with a trailer over 1.4m.

  The only site for household and garden chemicals and cement-bonded asbestos (double wrapped, up to eight sheets per visit; phone 07776 152970 first). Map position is the postcode centre. Fridges and freezers are not accepted at present (council notice, no end date, checked 2026-10-12).

  Source: leicester.gov.uk

• Gypsum Close Recycling Centre

  Gypsum Close, Leicester, LE4 9AB

  Opening hours: April to October: 8am to 8pm. November to March: 8am to 6pm. Open daily except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day; closes 2pm on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.

  Booking: Residents in any vehicle can use this site. Vans, pickups and cars with a trailer over 1.4m need a waste permit, and this is the only site that takes them. Arrive at least 30 minutes before closing if you need a permit.

  Has a Reuse Shop for items in good condition. No chemicals or asbestos here (use Freemen's Common). DIY waste is limited to 100 litres or one item per visit, four visits in four weeks. Map position is the postcode centre. Fridges and freezers are not accepted at present (council notice, no end date, checked 2026-10-12).

  Source: leicester.gov.uk

Where common items go in Leicester

• Pizza boxYes. Put it in your Orange recycling bags. Source: Leicester City Council
• Plastic carrier bagThis can't be recycled here. Put it in your Black bin. Source: Leicester City Council
• Crisp packetThis can't be recycled here. Put it in your Black bin. Source: Leicester City Council
• Black plastic ready-meal trayThis can't be recycled here. Put it in your Black bin. Source: Leicester City Council
• Paper coffee cupThis can't be recycled here. Put it in your Black bin. Source: Leicester City Council
• Wine bottleYes. Put it in your Orange recycling bags. Source: Leicester City Council
• Glass jarYes. Put it in your Orange recycling bags. Source: Leicester City Council
• Kitchen foilYes. Put it in your Orange recycling bags. Source: Leicester City Council
• Food scraps and leftoversThis can't be recycled here. Put it in your Black bin. Source: Leicester City Council
• Tea bagThis can't be recycled here. Put it in your Black bin. Source: Leicester City Council
• ClothesNot in any home bin. Take it to a household waste recycling centre. Source: Leicester City Council
• Battery (not sure which type)Not in any home bin. Take it to a household waste recycling centre. Source: Leicester City Council
• Disposable vapeNot in any home bin. Take it to a household waste recycling centre. Source: Leicester City Council
• Light bulb (not sure which type)Not in any home bin. Take it to a household waste recycling centre. Source: Leicester City Council
• Small household applianceNot in any home bin. Take it to a household waste recycling centre. Source: Leicester City Council
• Paint tinNot in any home bin. Take it to a household waste recycling centre. Source: Leicester City Council
• Real Christmas treeNot in any home bin. Take it to a household waste recycling centre. Source: Leicester City Council
• Cardboard boxYes. Put it in your Orange recycling bags. Source: Leicester City Council
• Food cartonYes. Put it in your Orange recycling bags. Source: Leicester City Council
• Plastic drinks bottleYes. Put it in your Orange recycling bags. Source: Leicester City Council
• Till receiptThis can't be recycled here. Put it in your Black bin. Source: Leicester City Council

Something else? Search any item and choose Leicester as your council.

Common questions

What goes in the black bin in Leicester?

General waste, in waste bags: nappies, tissues, crisp packets, polystyrene, food waste, pyrex and ceramics.

What goes in the orange recycling bags in Leicester?

Paper, card, cartons, glass bottles and jars, tins and cans, foil, and plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays, all mixed together.

What goes in the green garden waste bin (subscription) in Leicester?

Grass, leaves, hedge trimmings, small twigs, weeds, plants and flowers, loose. 240 litre bin, collected on Mondays.

When is my bin day in Leicester?

It depends on your street. Enter your address in Leicester City Council's bin day lookup (biffaleicester.co.uk), or use Bin days on Recycle This.