Recycling news

Recycling container and bin delivery delays

Please note we are currently facing delivery delays for recycling containers and bins due to supplier delays and the need to prioritise recycling and waste collections.

We will try our best to deliver your bins and containers in the timeframes below, but please bear with us if your delivery takes a little longer.

These timeframes also apply if you have already ordered a recycling container or bin. Our team is working hard to clear any backlog.

• Red boxes - Deliveries may take 10-12 weeks
• Yellow and blue bags - Deliveries may take 8-12 weeks
• Wheeled bins - Wheeled bin repairs may take up to 8 weeks. If you have ordered a new bin or a replacement, this may take up to 4 weeks to arrive.

Please follow our advice for putting out extra recycling whilst you wait for your containers to arrive. We apologise for any inconvenience caused and thank you for your patience at this busy time.

'Tis the season to recycle!

Below is some useful information and top tips to make recycling easier at Christmas!

• Wrapping paper can only be recycled in the blue bag if it passes the scrunch test. Foil or plastic based wrapping paper which doesn't scrunch up (and stay scrunched!) isn't recyclable. Please put any brown wrapping paper in the yellow bag.

• If you have extra recycling (tins, cans, plastics and glass) over Christmas, please avoid putting it in plastic bags. Instead use a plastic container like a washing-up bowl or plastic storage box - keeping glass separate.

• Please flatten extra cardboard to 2ft x 2ft and leave this out neatly bundled next to your yellow bag. You can also flatten it to this size and put it into cardboard boxes that are no bigger than a red box.

• Will you be enjoying roast turkey, nut roast or something else delicious in a foil dish or tray? If so, remember to give it a quick rinse and recycle it in your red box! All other types of foil can be recycled if it's clean.

• We will collect your real Christmas tree so it can be turned into compost! Just pop it inside your garden bin (not next to it). 

  The bin lid should fully close so trees may need to be trimmed/cut in order to fit. You can also take real Christmas trees to one of Leicestershire County Council’s Recycling and Household Waste Sites.

• Batteries and mobile phones should always be kept out of the black bin as they are a fire risk. Used batteries and old mobile phones can be put in a lidded, recyclable container (e.g. jam jar or plastic takeaway tub) and put out next to the red boxes for collection.

• Will you be enjoying some cranberry sauce or festive chutney over Christmas? Did you know you can recycle the plastic or metal lids? Simply unscrew the lid and put it in your red box with the rest of your plastic, cans and tins.

• Christmas cards can be recycled in the yellow bag. You can help make sure they are recycled by tearing off any glittery bits.

• Small electrical items such as fairy lights should be kept out of the black bin. They can be taken to one of Leicestershire County Council’s Recycling and Household Waste Sites.

Please note over Christmas domestic waste left next to your bin won't be collected. Instead everyone will receive at least one extra domestic waste collection in place of a garden waste collection. Please refer to your collection calendar for further information.

2021-22 waste collection calendars

Throughout October we hand delivered the new 2021/22 waste collection calendars.

The calendars detail your household recycling and waste collection dates for the next 13 months, starting from November 2021 (including Christmas and New Year collections) through to November 2022.

Please read your calendar carefully as some households will have a change to their recycling and waste collection day, and / or the week it is collected on. If there are any changes to your collections, you should have received a letter explaining this. The letter can also be viewed using the link below.

2021-22 waste collection calendar letter (PDF Document, 0.1 Mb)

There will be no changes if you are on our rural collection round and you will receive your new calendar by the end of November.

You can also check the frequently asked questions below which should answer any questions you may have.

Frequently asked questions

When will I receive my new waste collection calendar?

You should have received your new waste collection calendar by the end of October.

If you have not received your waste collection calendar, please email recycling@nwleicestershire.gov.uk or call 01530 454545

Your calendar is also available to view online using the 'my location search box' available on every webpage across our website, and by logging into your self-account.

I am on the rural collection round, when will I receive my new calendar?

If you are on our rural collection round, you will receive your new collection calendar in November as there will be no change to your collections.

The new calendar will detail your collections from December onwards and these collections will be available to view online from Wednesday 1 December.

Why are some waste collections changing?

The changes are due to a review of the efficiency of recycling and waste collections and vehicle routes around the district. This work has considered new homes that have been built in the district, the need for collection rounds to be as efficient and cost-effective as possible, and a desire to reduce vehicle emissions as much as possible.

My relative or friend lives in the same town or village as me, why are their collections different to mine?

We have split the district into different parts. This can mean not all streets in your village or town will receive collections on the same day.

I am on the food waste collection trial, will my food waste collection day change?

Your food waste collection day will not change. There will also be no changes to your collection over Christmas.

My collection day is staying the same but I have two recycling/garden waste or two refuse collections in a row. What should I do with any extra recycling and waste?

If you have two recycling/garden waste collections in a row, you can put out up to two bags of refuse waste next to your bin on your first refuse collection day after Monday 1 November.

If you have two refuse collections in a row, please put any extra glass and plastic, cans, tins and foil into reusable plastic containers such as a washing up bowl or plastic storage box. Please keep glass in a separate container to your plastic, cans, tins and foil.

Extra cardboard should be flattened to no bigger than 2ft x 2ft and left neatly stacked next to the red boxes, weighed down if you can. You can also flatten it to this size and put it into small cardboard boxes – no bigger than the red box.

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.

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

Glass and plastic/cans/tins 

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.

You can also

General waste

We won’t collect extra black bin waste. This includes bags placed at the side of the bin and bags placed on top of the black bin.

Please remember that bin lids should be fully closed. The crew may remove bags that are stopping the lid from closing and leave them inside the bin after collection.

Take a look at our Excess Rubbish Advice - it has lots of helpful tips and hints on how to reduce the waste in your bin.