More advice and support to households to help them responsibly dispose of unwanted items to be outlined by Leeds City Council

A report being presented to Leeds City Council’s executive board next week (Wednesday 9 February), asks senior councillors to approve a raft of new proposals enhancing the legal options available to residents to dispose of their household waste responsibly.

Key measures proposed include the removal of the household bulky item collection charge and increasing the city-wide capacity for collections by 20 per cent.

Alongside proposals to enhance legal waste disposal options, senior councillors will receive information on the establishment of a new Serious Environmental Crime Team to provide a more effective deterrent for those committing organised environmental crime.

The team will expand on the work currently being undertaken by the Cleaner Neighbourhoods Team, offering increased specialist capacity to tackle environmental crime such as fly tipping committed by organised, illegally operating disposal companies and individuals.

Whilst most day-to-day household waste can be disposed of legally in the black, green and brown bins, recycling centres and extensive bring banks across Leeds, the proposals outline further enhanced provision and advice for residents and local businesses to legally dispose of unwanted items/waste in a responsible manner.

These measures, set to be approved at the executive board, include increased opening times for trade waste companies to access council Household Waste and Recycling Centres, a doubling of the amount of waste Landlords accredited to the Leeds Rental Standards scheme can take for free disposal at council sites and the introduction of a scheme to make it easier for residents to find clearance companies with the required licenses to dispose waste legally.

In addition, it is proposed to keep the Otley Ellar Ghyll waste and recycling site open seven days a week, whilst longer term options for a larger, replacement site with a re-use shop are explored.

Further action to increase awareness around the importance of reusing unwanted items wherever possible is included in the report; working with existing re-use organisations such as the Revive charity shops and furniture re-use charities, and increased support for Zero Waste Leeds to further develop innovative clothing re-use schemes such as the school uniform exchange project.

The proposed actions also include a collaboration with the voluntary community-led movement Litter Free Leeds to develop a city-wide, community driven anti-litter campaign for 2022. 

Councillor Mohammed Rafique, executive member for environment and housing, said:

“This raft of complementary measures builds on the support and range of options available to residents to ensure that their unwanted items and household waste are disposed of responsibly and legally.  We understand the increasing financial challenges facing may households and the removal of the charge for the collection of bulky items at this time is one of a number of ways we want to support residents.

 “As well as the range of positive measures outlined, we are also establishing a new, specialist Serious Environmental Crime Team for Leeds. This will re-new our focus on tracking down and prosecuting those companies and individuals involved in organised waste crime in Leeds. Our message to those criminals is we will catch you and see you in court.”

To see the executive board report including a full list of the proposed measures, go to agenda item 11