We want to reduce waste and increase recycling in Leeds. We are achieving this by:
- providing education in communities
- supporting residents to engage more with recycling
- improving our recycling services and facilities
Part of this work is done at our RERF at Cross Green.
Benefits to the city
The RERF, managed by Veolia, recovers recyclable materials and energy from the city’s black bin waste. This has helped to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases being released into the atmosphere.
It provides many benefits, such as:
- creating power and heat from the city's residual waste. It can supply up to 22,000 homes with energy
- extracting a minimum of 2 per cent of black bin waste for recycling
- the living wall that boosts biodiversity and environmental sustainability. Rainwater is also harvested and used on site
- saving the council over £7million annually, compared with landfill
- reducing Leeds’ carbon footprint
Copies of our business case and contract with Veolia
We have copies of our contracts and business cases for the RERF. Email us if you need information or copies at leeds.waste@leeds.gov.uk.
Visit
Visits are available Monday to Friday 9am to 7pm for a range of groups including schools, colleges, universities, community groups and communal visits for individuals. Visits last between 2 to 2.5 hours and are free of charge.
Our visits will help you:
- discover the journey of your household black bin waste and what can be recycled
- learn how to reduce, reuse and recycle, and understand how energy is recovered
- find out about the facility and how it supports the environment
- students can test their knowledge by taking part in a wide range of activities, quizzes and games in our purpose-built visitor centre
- learn about the waste-to-energy process via a presentation, including video footage. For under 16s or limited mobility group visits, virtual reality headsets provide an interactive tour experience
The programme also supports a range of National Curriculum and Key Stage themes such as geography, sustainable development, science, numeracy and literacy.
Request a place
For further information, or to request a visit, please email leeds.enquiries@veolia.co.uk to get a booking form.
