Leeds residents will have the convenience of recycling glass bottles and jars using their green bins, a service being offered for the first time.
The program accepts glass of all colors, enabling the recycling of a broad range of products from beverage bottles to food jars. Collected glass from the green bins will be processed locally in Yorkshire. The recycling process involves melting down the glass and reforming it into new bottles and jars, which will be ready for reuse within a month. Residents are encouraged to leave caps, lids, and labels on the glass when placing them in the bins for collection, simplifying the recycling process.
Glass bottles and jars are completely recyclable and can be endlessly recycled without any degradation in quality. However, despite having an extensive network of over 700 bottle banks throughout the city, more than half of the glass in Leeds currently ends up in black general waste bins and is incinerated. This results in approximately 11,400 tonnes of glass that could be recycled but instead contributes to environmental pollution.
Starting August 1, residents can place their glass bottles and jars in green bins instead of black bins. This change is expected to lead to significant environmental benefits, including an estimated annual carbon savings of 2,600 tonnes, which is roughly equivalent to removing over 975 cars from the road each year.
While the city’s bottle banks will continue to operate, providing additional recycling opportunities, it is important to note that not all glass items are suitable for green bin disposal. Glass items like oven-proof dishes, light bulbs, and window or drinking glasses do not melt at the same temperature as bottles and jars and should not be placed in the green bins. These items should be disposed of in black bins or taken to the nearest household waste and recycling centre for proper handling.
Leeds City Council’s executive member for climate, energy, environment and green space, Councillor Mohammed Rafique 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 August 1st people can put their bottles and jars in their existing green bin which will help make a significant difference to our recycling rates and benefit the environment and the local economy. This is part of providing simpler recycling opportunities and choices for Leeds residents, without creating more bins for them to manage and put out on the streets. It will be a win-win all round and we can’t wait to get it started.”
Leeds refuse services handle an impressive task, emptying approximately half a million bins weekly. This activity translates to the annual management of nearly a quarter of a million tonnes of household waste, sourced from the city’s black, green, and brown bins. Remarkably, less than half a percent of all waste collected in Leeds ends up in landfills.
The recent decision to accept glass in green bins expands the already diverse range of recyclable materials — such as paper, cardboard, plastics, and metals, that residents can conveniently recycle from home. This inclusion of glass aligns with the national Simple Recycling requirements, putting Leeds ahead of the 2026 compliance deadline.
At the HW Martin facility in Leeds, glass collected from green bins is carefully separated from other recyclables like paper, cardboard, metal, and plastic. The glass undergoes further sorting to discard any non-glass materials. Advanced techniques involving magnets, optical sorters, and vacuums are employed to ensure purity before the glass cullet is melted at temperatures reaching 1,600 degrees centigrade. This molten glass is then shaped into new jars and bottles, completing the recycling loop locally within Yorkshire.
