Traders hit by new waste price hike

Traders have been urged to consider recycling first as the city council introduced new price hikes for sending waste to landfill.
Sending trade waste to landfill in Leeds just got more expensive.Sending trade waste to landfill in Leeds just got more expensive.
Sending trade waste to landfill in Leeds just got more expensive.

Higher charges for trade waste come at a time when Leeds Council is striving to raise city-wide recycling rates and address the scourge of fly tipping - for which Leeds was recently ranked eighth in a national league of shame.

As of this week, the disposal of general landfill trade waste increased in cost by £2.20 per tonne, to £122.90, and by 55p for a tonne of rubble, to £34.20.

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Recyclable trade waste also costs more, up by 50p per tonne for cardboard, paper, garden waste, plasterboard, mixed recyclables and wood, while the same price hike applies per fridge and television set.

Leeds Council said charges had risen in line with new contract prices for waste disposal and a landfill tax increase of £1.70 per tonne - and it urged traders to recycle all appropriate materials .

Recycling rates in Leeds are around 40 per cent and the council wants to help residents increase that figure to 50 per cent by 2020.

A Leeds Council spokesperson said: “Trade waste charges have risen to cover an increase in landfill tax and small increases in the cost of transportation. This increase has been kept to a minimum to ensure the council continues to offer a service which is competitive and encourages traders and businesses to carry out the appropriate disposal of their waste.

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“The price increase will only cover our increased costs, and will not result in any increase in net income to the council.

“Before deciding on disposal, we would ask traders and businesses to consider whether items could possibly be recycled through our reuse shops at Kirkstall and Seacroft, which means not only can they be used again but is also beneficial for the environment.”

The new charges apply at the council’s Kirkstall and East Leeds transfer stations.