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Leeds bin collection days

Leeds gives households three bins: black for general waste, green for recycling and brown for garden waste. The brown bin is free, which the council points out is not the case in other areas, but it pauses over winter. The council's pages we checked do not state how often the black and green bins are emptied, so use your own calendar and the Leeds Bins app rather than assuming a pattern.

Last checked against 8 sources (www.leeds.gov.uk, news.leeds.gov.uk).

What goes in each bin

Black general waste bin · General waste

Bin · Varies by area, so check your address

Yes please

  • General household waste only, with the lid closed
  • A maximum of three bags, for homes on a bag collection

Not in this one

  • Batteries and low energy light bulbs
  • Gas bottles and motor vehicle parts
  • Paint, rubble and bricks
  • Soil and large branches
  • Syringes and needles
  • Unused or out of date medicines, which go back to a pharmacy
  • Extra bags on top of or near the bin

Source: www.leeds.gov.uk (opens in a new tab), read

Green recycling bin · Mixed recycling

Bin

Yes please

  • Cardboard, paper and cartons
  • Metal cans, aluminium, foil and takeaway trays, and aerosols
  • Glass bottles and jars
  • Plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays (types 1, 2, 4 and 5)
  • Plastic bags, bubble wrap, cling film and film lids
  • Detergent and cleaning product pouches with no foil lining

Not in this one

  • Black plastic and black bin bags
  • Compostable or biodegradable plastic
  • Drinking glasses, light bulbs and electrical items
  • Foil-lined plastic and polystyrene
  • Food waste and garden waste
  • Shredded paper
  • Syringes, needles, wood and timber

Source: www.leeds.gov.uk (opens in a new tab), read

Brown garden waste bin · Garden waste

Bin

Yes please

  • Flowers, plants, grass cuttings, hedge clippings and leaves
  • Twigs and small branches no more than 3cm thick
  • Windfall fruit

Not in this one

  • Branches over 3cm thick
  • Food waste, including fruit and vegetable peelings
  • Giant hogweed, Himalayan balsam, Japanese knotweed and ragwort
  • Pet bedding, pet waste and cat litter
  • Plastic of any kind, including compostable plastic
  • Rubble, soil and compost

Source: www.leeds.gov.uk (opens in a new tab), read

Check your bin day

We can’t check Leeds addresses yet

Live bin day lookups for Leeds are planned. Until then, Leeds’s own page will show your collection day.

Find my bin day on www.leeds.gov.uk(opens in a new tab)

How often each bin is collected

Collection frequency by bin for Leeds
BinCollected
Black general waste bin · General wasteVaries by area, so check your address

Food waste and the national recycling rules

Leeds does not collect food waste every week. Leeds does not yet collect food waste from every home. It is trialling a combined food and garden waste collection in the brown bin for some households around Wetherby during 2026, and aims for all households to be able to recycle food waste through a weekly collection by 2029/30.

Source: www.leeds.gov.uk (opens in a new tab), read

Garden waste

Garden waste is collected free of charge. The council provides the brown bin collection at no extra charge, limited to one bin per household, and says it is the largest free garden waste service of any council in the UK. A new or replacement brown bin carries an admin charge. Brown bin collections stop over winter. In 2026 they restarted from Monday 23 March.

Source: news.leeds.gov.uk (opens in a new tab), read

If your bin was missed

Report a missed collection with the council's online form, and use it each time a bin is missed so the council can investigate. If your waste is collected in bags, ask for replacement bags in the free text box of the collection crew form. If the bin was missed today, wait until after 5pm to report it. All bins must be out by 6:30am when collections start.

Source: www.leeds.gov.uk (opens in a new tab), read

Your nearest tip

Good to know in Leeds

  • Leeds takes plastic film in the green bin: plastic bags, bubble wrap, cling film and film lids from fruit punnets, yoghurt pots and microwave meals are all on the accepted list. Keep recycling clean and dry, and put it in loose.
  • Extra recycling is collected if you leave it in a clear or green plastic bag beside the green bin on collection day. You can also ask for a second green bin, and a green bin is free to replace.
  • Leeds does not collect food waste citywide yet. A trial in the Wetherby area, including Collingham, Boston Spa, Thorp Arch, Clifford, Bramham and Walton, lets households put food waste in the brown bin with their garden waste.
  • Brown bins stop in winter and restart in spring. Garden waste can be taken free to any of the household waste recycling centres in the meantime.
  • A new black or brown bin carries an admin charge, while a replacement green bin is free. The council publishes the charges on its new bin page.
  • The household waste recycling centres are for people who live inside the Leeds boundary, visiting by car or bicycle. Vans, large vehicles and trailers need a commercial vehicle permit, and tradespeople have to use a waste transfer station.
  • As of 2 October 2026 the council's recycling sites page said fridges and freezers were temporarily not being accepted at the centres because of a national shortage of specialist processing facilities. Check the page before you travel.

Bin questions in Leeds

Is garden waste collection free in Leeds?

Yes. The council provides the brown bin collection at no extra charge, with one bin per household. Collections stop over winter, and in 2026 they restarted on 23 March.

How much does a new bin cost in Leeds?

The bin itself is free but you pay an admin charge: £30 for a standard black bin, £24 for a small black bin, £18 for a black hand bin for bag collections and £30 for a brown bin. A green recycling bin is free.

When can I report a missed bin in Leeds?

If your bin was missed today, wait until after 5pm before you report it. All bins must be out by 6:30am when collections start. Use the council's form each time a bin is missed.

Guides that may help

Nearby councils