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Leeds Bin Collection Day Finder
18 May 2026
Looking for your next Leeds bin collection? Collection dates are set for individual properties, so use the official Leeds City Council checker below to confirm which bins are due and when.
Leeds bins at a glance
Leeds households use different bins for general waste, recycling and garden waste. The quick guide below is a starting point; use the Council's current guidance for unusual or uncertain items.
Black bin
General household waste only. Keep the lid closed and do not leave extra bags on top of or beside the bin.
Green bin
Recycling, including glass and named plastic film and bag categories on the current Leeds list. Keep recycling clean and dry.
Brown bin
Garden waste such as grass, leaves and hedge clippings, placed loose. Food waste rules are different for selected households in the 2026 trial.
Official Leeds City Council service
Check your Leeds bin collection day
Collection dates vary by property. Enter your postcode and select your address on the Council service to see the current schedule for your home.
This page does not perform a live property lookup or prefill the Council form. The official checker is the handoff for your address-specific collection dates.
Check your bin day on Leeds City CouncilWhat goes in each Leeds bin
Leeds City Council's live bin guidance is the source of truth for accepted materials. These concise lists highlight the points most likely to affect a collection.
| Bin | What goes in | Keep out |
|---|---|---|
| Black binGeneral waste | General household waste that cannot be recycled through the available Leeds services. Keep everything inside the bin with the lid closed. | Batteries and low-energy light bulbs, gas bottles, paint, rubble or bricks, soil or large branches, syringes or needles, and other hazardous, oversized or heavy items. |
| Green binRecycling | Paper and cardboard, cartons, aluminium and metal cans, aerosols, foil, glass, plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays. The current Council list also includes carrier bags, bubble wrap, cling film, plastic bags and wrap, stretchy and tearable bags and wrapping, and some plastic pouches. | Food and garden waste, black plastic, black bin bags, electrical items, light bulbs, polystyrene, shredded paper, syringes and needles, wood, and foil-lined plastic. |
| Brown binGarden waste | Flowers and plants, grass cuttings, hedge clippings, leaves, windfall fruit, and twigs or small branches no more than 3cm thick. Put garden waste in loose. | Food waste, plastic of any kind, pet bedding or waste, soil or compost, rubble, invasive weeds, and branches over 3cm thick. |
Green-bin guidance: Leeds Council's current guidance allows glass and a number of soft-plastic items, including carrier bags, bubble wrap, cling film, plastic bags and plastic wrap. This does not mean every type of soft plastic is accepted, so check the Council's current guidance if you are unsure.
Recycling should be clean and dry.
See the Council's current green-bin list and A to Z disposal guidance for unusual items.
Food waste and the 2026 trial
Leeds is trialling a combined garden and food waste collection for selected households in the Wetherby area during 2026. The named areas are Wetherby, Collingham, Boston Spa, Thorp Arch, Clifford, Bramham and Walton, but only some households in those areas are included.
Participating households receive a food caddy, instructions and a letter. Once their collections start, they can put cooked and raw food waste into the brown bin with garden waste; brown bins are collected fortnightly throughout the year for the trial.
This trial rule does not apply citywide. If your household is not taking part, follow the current Council guidance for your address rather than assuming that the trial arrangements apply to you. Read the Council's food and garden waste guidance.
Missed bin collections
If your bin was missed today, Leeds City Council says to wait until after 5pm before reporting it. Bins should be out by 6:30am when collections start, and you should use the reporting form each time a collection is missed.
There is no need to rely on an unsupported next-working-day deadline in this guide. Report a missed bin collection through the current Council service.
Bank holidays and collection changes
Do not use a universal bank-holiday shift as a rule. Arrangements can vary, so check your address in the live Leeds bin-day checker before putting a bin out after a public holiday.
The same approach applies to brown-bin timing: do not rely on a permanent annual start or stop date. Use the current Council information and the schedule shown for your property.
Bulky and unwanted items
Leeds' unwanted-items service is for private residents who cannot donate an item or get to a recycling centre. The current Council guidance allows up to five items per collection and a maximum of four collections each year. One collection per financial year is free; up to three further collections cost £30 each.
For a booked collection, items must be outdoors within your property boundary before 7am on collection day. Keep them dry and safe, remove or protect glass, dismantle items where required, and make sure two people can move them safely. Items are not collected from inside a property. Check the current unwanted-items rules and book with Leeds City Council.
Assisted collections
Leeds City Council provides an application for a free assisted waste collection if you struggle with putting your bins out. Use the current Council service to check the details and apply; this guide does not add eligibility or crew-procedure claims that are not confirmed by the current source.
Apply for assisted waste collectionLeeds recycling centres
The current Leeds City Council list names eight household waste recycling centres. The official names are:
The Council says these sites are for residents within the Leeds boundary disposing of household waste. Access conditions include visiting by car or bicycle, with a commercial vehicle permit needed for large vehicles, vans or trailers; staff cannot help dispose of waste. Check the site guidance before travelling. View the current Leeds recycling-centre list and rules.
For local directory pages and site-level information, visit the Leeds Council recycling-centre category. If an item is not suitable for a kerbside bin, you can also use Where Can I Recycle This? to look for another disposal route.
Leeds bin-day FAQ
What time should I put my bins out?
Put them out by 6:30am, when Leeds City Council says collections start.
What should I do if my bin is missed?
Wait until after 5pm on the day of the missed collection, then use the Council's missed-bin service.
Can I get help putting my bins out?
Yes. Leeds provides a free assisted waste collection application for people who struggle with putting bins out. Check the current application.
Is there an official Leeds bin-day app?
The Council's current check-your-bin-day page links to the Leeds Bins app for Google Play and Apple devices and says it can be used to find bin days and set reminders. Open the Council bin-day service.
Practical Leeds waste advice
Keep recycling clean and dry
Empty and rinse containers where appropriate, and keep the contents of the green bin clean and dry so they can be sorted.
Reduce garden and food waste
Home composting can reduce garden waste, while planning meals, using leftovers and freezing food can help avoid unnecessary waste. See Leeds composting guidance.
Check before you throw
For anything that does not clearly belong in a kerbside bin, check the Council's A to Z disposal guidance or use our UK Recycling Impact Calculator for a lower-priority environmental estimate.
Official Leeds Council links
Use these current Council services for live dates, reports and bookings; this page is an independent guide and does not replace the Council's address-specific information.