Leeds Council confirms green and black bin collection dates for Christmas 2020 until the New Year

Bin crews will be working every day except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

Collections will also take place on Sundays.

Leaflets setting out collection dates have been sent to homes across the city from today (December 7), the council said.

The leaflets provide the new dates collection will take place between December 20 and January 3.

However, people can also check their Christmas bin collection dates on the website or get bin day reminders straight to their phone by downloading the Leeds Bins app.

The normal collection schedule will run until December 19.

Leeds’s household recycling centres will be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day but will otherwise be open and operating as normal.

The council are also urging people to make more use of their recycling bin this year as Covid restrictions mean more people will receive presents through delivery rather than in person.

Councillor Mohammed Rafique, Leeds City Council’s executive member for environment and active lifestyles, said: “The effects of the pandemic mean this is going to be a different kind of Christmas in Leeds, with significant changes to people’s usual festive routines.

“Stay-at-home celebrations and online shopping will generate even more black and green bin rubbish than we normally see, so it’s especially important for everyone to recycle as much as possible.

“It’s really important that residents check their collection days over the festive period, as some days may be different.

"The leaflets that are going out to all homes in the city this week explain this for people.

“They also have lots of hints and tips on the best way to have an environmentally-friendly Christmas and we hope they will come in useful over the next few weeks.

“In addition all our household recycling centres are open and are free to use to dispose of any recyclables you can’t fit in your green bin or wish to donate for a charity to reuse – just make a booking and visit one of our eight COVID-safe sites.”

Christmas is a particularly busy time for bin collection crews.

On average, Leeds residents generate an additional 1,000 tonnes of black and green bin rubbish over the festive period.

That figure is likely to be even higher this year due to large numbers of people opting for stay-at-home celebrations instead of going away, the council said.

This follows nine months of huge efforts from crews to keep the service going for residents during the pandemic.

The impact of lockdown and other restrictions led to 16,500 tonnes more black and green bin rubbish being collected from homes in Leeds between March and November than would typically be expected.

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