A to Z of reusing, recycling and waste disposal

Empty aluminium aerosols can be placed in your green recycling bin, or put in one of the can banks at your nearest bring site or recycling centre. These items are used in metal smelters and made into new metal products. Please do not squash or pierce your unwanted aerosols.

Remember to wash and squash your aluminium cans. These can be placed in your green recycling bin. These items are used in metal smelters and made into new metal products.

Please try to reuse foil containers where possible, for example when freezing your leftover food. They also make great seed trays. Clean foil items can be placed in your green recycling bin and can banks at your nearest bring site or recycling centre. These items are used in metal smelters and are made into new metal products.

Please take your bottles of unwanted antifreeze to your nearest recycling centre and put them in the chemical waste container. Ask the site staff for help if you are unsure where this is.

If possible, please consider repairing your electrical appliances. If you are throwing out old and out-dated electrical equipment that still works, please donate it to a local re-use organisation or visit the Revive Leeds re-use shop at the Kirkstall or Seacroft recycling centres. They will re-use them, helping those in need. If you are replacing a broken appliance, the retailer supplying your new appliance should offer you a take back service. Alternatively you can take your broken appliances to your nearest recycling centre. Fridges and freezers, televisions and computer monitors should be put in the appropriate designated storage area. Ask the site staff if you are not sure where these are. All other appliances can be put in the electronic equipment container. Materials such as plastics and metals are recycled into new products.

You can take your asbestos to the Kirkstall recycling centre. This is the only site that accepts asbestos and it is by appointment only. Please note that there is a charge for this service. Further information can be found on the Kirkstall recycling centre page.

Wood ash can be added to your compost heap a little at a time and it contains useful pot ash for plant growth. Coal ash can be disposed of in your black rubbish bin. Please wait until it is cold and bag it up before putting it in your bin.

If your unwanted hair appliance is in good working order, please donate it to a charity shop, local reuse organisation, or to the Revive Leeds reuse shop at the Kirkstall or Seacroft recycling centres. If you are replacing a broken hair appliance, the retailer supplying your new appliance should offer you a take back service. Alternatively, you can recycle your hair appliance by taking it to your nearest bring site that has a WEEE bank (see W for a list of sites) or to your nearest recycling centre, where you can put it in the small electrical waste container.

Hardcore* and many building materials can be used again. Bricks, large pieces of stone, doors and windows can be sold to architectural salvage yards. Brick* and rubble* can be taken to your nearest recycling centre and put in the skips marked Bricks and Rubble. These materials are used for cover and roads on landfill sites. *Restrictions apply for disposing of some types of rubbish at our household recycling sites including hardcore, bricks and rubble. To find out more please see our guide to DIY waste disposal.

Hazardous waste should be dealt with appropriately. Please see Asbestos for more information on this. Please see Chemicals for more information on these. You can also contact the Environment Agency on 0870 850 6506 for advice on disposing of hazardous waste.

Help the Aged recycle hearing aids. Please ensure units are in working order and send them to: Hearing Aid Appeal Help the Aged FREEPOST, LON13616 London, EC1B 1PS.

Please see Chemicals

Please see Chemicals.

Please return used hypodermic needles to your doctor's surgery or health centre for safe disposal. DO NOT put these in your rubbish or recycling bin.