Yellow bag delivery delays

Deliveries of yellow bags may currently take up to five weeks. 

This is due to shipping delays caused by the ongoing incidents off the coast of Yemen, whilst longer shipping routes are used.

Whilst you wait for your order to arrive, please flatten your cardboard and put it into cardboard boxes no bigger than 2ft x 2ft (around the size of a red box). You can also flatten cardboard to this size, and leave it out neatly bundled next to your red boxes.

Unemptied garden bins in freezing weather 

Garden bin snowy

In freezing temperatures, our crews can have trouble emptying garden bins where the contents has frozen and stuck to the inside of the bin or bin lids are frozen shut.

We will attempt to free the garden waste / lid as much as possible, but where we are unsuccessful, garden bins should be put back out on the next scheduled collection.

2023-24 waste collection calendars 

Front and back design of a 2023-24 waste collection calendar

Deliveries of the 2023-24 waste collection calendars took place throughout October and November.

What if I have not received my calendar?

You can check your collection dates and download a copy of your calendar online or by searching your postcode using the ‘My Location’ search box available throughout the website.

If you would like a printed copy of your calendar posting to you, please or call 01530 454545.

Bin crew staff needed

Can you work as a casual waste crew member?

  • All training and equipment provided
  • Must be fit and able to walk long distances
  • £11.41 - £14.74 per hour (depending on role)

If you can fill one of these casual roles, please get in touch: mick.hughes@nwleicestershire.gov.uk

Recycling tips for a sustainable 'staycation'

Campervans and bell tent in a large green camping field

As it gets warmer, a staycation is on the horizon for many of us. Why not make it a sustainable one?

Recycle Now have put together a handy article full of really useful tips to help you recycle more wherever you're planning to holiday in the UK. Take a look!

No room in your garden bin? Subscribe to the additional garden waste service!

You can now sign up to the 2023-24 additional garden waste service.

Two garden waste bins

We provide one garden waste bin free of charge, but if this isn't enough for your gardening needs, you can pay for as many extra bins as you like.

The charge for 2023/24 is £45 per extra bin. This covers the fortnightly emptying of an extra garden waste bin from 1 June 2023 to 31 May 2024.

Sign up or renew for 2023/24

Saving money whilst reducing waste - a win for your wallet and the environment

It can sometimes feel like making an eco-friendly choice just isn’t affordable – especially at a time when many are feeling financially stretched. But there are still plenty of changes we can make that not only result in less waste, but they can save you money too!

Save energy and money Hand holding an energy saving lightbulb

  • Use LED bulbs – Each LED used in your home can make a lifetime saving of £180
  • Turn down your wash – Washing at lower temperatures will help reduce energy use and is better for your clothes
  • Defrost your freezer – A defrosted freezer costs around £150 less a year to run.

Repair it

It’s usually cheaper to repair a broken appliance than to buy a new one – especially if you can learn to fix it yourself.

There are a few groups around Leicestershire that can support you in repairing items.

A good rule of thumb is to avoid spending more than 50% of the cost of a new product on repairing an old one. Otherwise it might be more cost-effective to replace the broken item!

Reuse it

Carrying a reusable water bottle not only saves the need to buy single-use plastic bottles of water, but you can have it filled up for free! Use the Refill app when out and about to check where your nearest refill point is, or just pop into the closest café or pub and ask them to fill up your bottle.

Reduce food waste Dinner plate with some food waste remaining

The average family of four can save just over £60 per month by reducing their food waste, so it’s kind to our bank accounts as well as the planet.

Creating a meal plan, writing a shopping list, doing one big shop and then sticking to the meal plan really helps to only buy what you need and make sure it is all used up.

Keep an eye out for the discount shelves which display items that have reached their ‘use by’ date. Many of the items on these shelves are sold at a reduced price and can be put straight in the freezer for use at a later date.

Heading on holiday soon? In Britain we throw away £500 million worth of edible food before we go on holiday each year. From checking your freezer to making a homecoming meal, this ‘Traveller’s check’  has some great tips to help you stop good food from going to waste. 

Love Food Hate Waste have lots more tips for wasting less food whilst saving money.

Try real nappies Four reusable nappies hanging on a washing line

Gone are the days of terry squares and soaking… converting to ‘real’ reusable nappies from disposables can make a big difference to the amount of rubbish families with young children generate.

On average, a baby uses between 5,000 and 7,000 disposable nappies over a 2.5 year period. And this can cost between £735 - £1,211 but a switch to reusable nappies can save up to £600!

Even a switch to only using reusable nappies when at home, and then disposables when out and about could make such a difference to your bank account and the environment.

Find out more about making a switch to reusable nappies.

Extra recycling? Help us to collect it with these tips...

Glass and plastic/cans/tins Plastic storage basket with plastic, cans and tins inside.

You can put extra red box recycling out in reusable plastic containers such as a washing up bowl or plastic storage boxes/baskets. Please make sure glass is always kept in a separate container to plastic/cans/tins/foil. 

You can also order extra red boxes online.

Unsure which items you can recycle? Find out here.

Cardboard

Extra cardboard which does not fit in the yellow bag should be flattened to no bigger than 2ft x 2ft and left next to the red boxes, weighed down if you can.

Please also remove any packaging such as polystyrene, plastic film/wrapping and any plastic straps. We can only collect clean cardboard (without any food left on it).

Additional yellow bags can also be ordered online.

Paper

If you regularly have more paper than will fit in your blue bag, you can order another blue bag. If you only occasionally have extra paper to recycle, please try to spread the amount you put out over a few collections.

Recycling put out in plastic bags will not be collected by our crews due to the issues they cause. Find out how plastic bags cause problems.

Garden waste

If you have more garden waste than will fit in your bin, please take a look at our tips and advice for disposing of extra garden waste.

Recycling collections in windy weather

If you have a recycling collection during windy conditions, you can help us to keep your neighbourhood tidy by doing the following:

  • Fasten the velcro lids on your yellow and blue bags
  • Put a lid on your red box
  • Try not to overfill your red boxes - squeezing and squashing your plastic, cans and tins can help
  • If possible, don't stack your red boxes.

These things help to stop your recycling from escaping and littering your neighbourhood.

If you need a new red box and/or lid please order one online or call 01530 454545 to request one.

We are very grateful to our residents who help to clear up any escaped recycling.

Last updated: Wed 24 January, 2024 @ 15:27