Plastic recycling can be confusing! Here’s our guide to recycling plastics in Leeds.

Recycle plastic types 1, 2, 4 and 5 in your green bin!

Look for the triangle with a number in it

• Type 1 – pop bottles, fruit punnets
• Type 2 – milk bottles, cleaning product bottles
• Type 4 – frozen veg bags, bubble wrap, bread bags (any stretchy plastic bag)
• Type 5 – yoghurt pots, margarine tubs

Pesky plastics – put these in your black bin

• Type 3 – toothpaste tubes, clingfilm, PVC pipes
• Type 6 – polystyrene, clothes hangers, DVD cases
• Type 7 – other plastics like acrylic
• “compostable” or “bio-plastic” isn’t actually plastic
• Black or dark brown plastic even if it’s type 1, 2, 4 or 5

Do the stretch test!

Lots of stretchy plastic bags say “not commonly recycled” or “recycle at a supermarket” on them. If a bag stretches you can recycle it in your green bin, if it tears you can’t.

Not sure about a specific item?

If you’ve come across something not on this list and want to know what to do with it drop us a message on Facebook www.facebook.com/leedsrecycles