Do you live in Headingley? Well you may or may not have noticed that you do not have a green bin for recycling.

In some areas of Leeds, there are issues with people using green bins for general waste when they should only be used for recycling. Putting general waste in the green bin can contaminate a load of recycling which is costly to sort and dispose of and spoils the hard work of other committed recyclers.

So in 2014 the council opted to take recycling away from the Headingley area in an effort to get high quality recycling from those that opted-in.

If you would like to opt in and start recycling, you will need to sign up using this form. Once complete you will be sent green plastic bags. These bags are provided instead of a green bin and if you and only you in a large shared household wishes to recycle; it is easier to monitor and be in charge of.
 

What is Recycle-In?

Recycle-In is a project that was developed by the Environmental & Recycling Officers in the LBSU Community Committee. The idea was to further spread the message of how to get more students signed up to recycling in Leeds.
 

Why was it taken away in Headingley?

Headingley is not the only area in Leeds to have its recycling taken away. Harehills’ is also an opt-in zone and both areas have something in common, high population of transient (non-permanent) residents.
 

Why does the website mention green bins?

The vast majority of ‘opt-in’ recycling in Leeds is green bin not bag. There are currently around 8,000 properties across Leeds on the recycling opt-in service. Over 7,000 of these are done via green bins, and less than 1,000 are done by green bags. It is important to recognise that if you opt in it will be done solely through green bags.
 

How do I get green bags?

By completing the form to opt in to recycle you should be sent green bags through the post. If you do not get sent these then email refusecollection@leeds.gov.uk
 

What can I recycle?

• All paper and cardboard (clean and dry)
• All food and drinks can (rinsed and dry)
• Aerosols (empty)
• Foil food containers and soft foil (clean and crushed)
• All plastic bottles and plastic bags

But NOT glass.

How can I recycle glass?

Please deposit all your glass bottles and jars (including metal screw lids) in bottle banks at:

• Outside Headingley Taps on North Lane
• Behind Co-op next to Burley park railway station on Cardigan Lane
• At Sparrow park on the corner of Chapel Lane and Cardigan Road

Have you heard about the LBSU Student Led Project Refloat? Well Refloat is a scheme that has been active with Leeds Beckett Students since 2012. The scheme has taken many forms over the years including riding around and collecting glass from an old milk float. The more recent version is students and staff from the Leeds Beckett Volunteering Team collecting glass from your doorstep in a van to deposit in one of the recycling points above.

I can put glass in my green bin in my home town but not here; why?

Lots of different cities have different methods of recycling and different rules that surround it. In Leeds the nearest glass recycling point is all the way in Dewsbury and it is collected from the bottle bins and taken there. If you put glass in your green bags (yes even jars) it will mean that your recycling will not get recycled.