Glass collections in Leeds green bins will start on August 1st

HOUSEHOLDERS in Leeds will be able to recycle bottles and glass jars in their green bins for the first time since early August.

This includes all colors of glass and means that everything from wine, spirits and beer bottles to jam jars and pasta sauce jars can now be recycled in your Leeds green bin.

All bottles and glass jars collected from the green bins will be recycled and remelted in Yorkshire and made into new bottles and jars ready for use within a month. Lids, caps and labels can be left ready for collection.

Glass bottles and jars are 100% recyclable and can be recycled endlessly without loss of quality. Despite a huge network of bottle banks across the city, more than half of Leeds’ bottles and glass jars are currently put in black bins and incinerated. This means 11,400 tons of glass that from August 1 can be put in the green bin and recycled. The environmental benefit would be an annual carbon saving of 2,600 tonnes, equivalent to taking more than 975 cars off the road each year.

The local network of over 700 bottle banks in Leeds will remain in place for added convenience.

Councilor Mohammed Rafique, Leeds City Council’s executive member for climate, energy, environment and green spaces, said: “We are delighted to be able to start this glass collection service, which we know has long been an aspiration for the city and its residents . From 1 August, people can put their bottles and jars in the existing green bin, which will make a significant difference to our recycling rates and benefit the environment and local economy. This is part of providing easier recycling opportunities and options for Leeds residents, without creating more bins to manage and take to the streets. It will be a win-win all the way and we can’t wait to get started.”

Otley and Yeadon Liberal Democrat councilors Colin Campbell, Ryk Downes and Sandy Lay welcomed the news that Leeds residents can now start recycling glass

The move was welcomed by local Liberal Democrat councilors Colin Campbell, Ryk Downes and Sandy Lay.

“This is great news,” said Cllr Campbell. “We have been pushing Leeds to introduce household glass collection for more than five years but have always been told it is impossible. We were therefore surprised and delighted that the Council is able to collect glass and that the scheme is due to start soon.”

“Most local councils already collect glass,” said Cllr Downes, “and their schemes have proven very successful. Putting glass in the green bin is a new approach, but we were told that the sorting system in place at the recycling depot is capable of removing glass from other waste along with bottle and jar lids.”

“The local bottle banks will remain for now,” continued Cllr Lay. “They are very successful and have made a positive contribution to local recycling. We hope that the recycling figures in Leeds, which are not very good at the moment, will improve significantly when the glass collection scheme starts.”

For clarity, the green bin is for bottles and glass jars of any color; but other items such as ovenproof dishes, light bulbs, window or drinking glass do not melt at the same temperature as recyclable bottles and jars, so they can either be put in the black bin or taken to your nearest household waste and recycle.