Christmas Tree Disposal in Leeds: Real Trees, Artificial Trees and Lights
The free way to get rid of a real Christmas tree in Leeds is to take it to any of the council’s eight household waste recycling centres and put it in the garden waste skip, where it is composted. Strip every bauble, hook and bit of tinsel first. The tips close only on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Do not count on the brown bin, because Leeds pauses garden waste collections over winter. Last January, St Gemma’s Hospice and Sue Ryder both collected trees from the doorstep in parts of Leeds for a donation, so look out for this year’s dates. Artificial trees in good condition can go in the reuse container at the tip, and Christmas lights are electrical waste, so keep them out of the black bin. If you have no car, Kruze collects garden waste from £24.99 as a licensed waste carrier, CBDU597687, with a waste transfer note.
Can I put a real Christmas tree in my brown bin in Leeds?
Usually not at Christmas. Leeds City Council pauses brown bin garden waste collections for the winter months. Last year the final round finished on Saturday 29/11/2025 and collections came back the following spring, according to the council’s news release. The council has not yet announced this winter’s dates as we write, so check your bin day for your street.
Even when the brown bin is running, a whole tree will not fit. Cutting the branches small and holding the trunk back for the tip is the only way it works, and most people find the tip trip easier.
Where can I take a real Christmas tree in Leeds?
The council’s greener Christmas page says real trees can go to any of the eight household waste recycling centres and be put in the garden waste skip. The sites are Kirkstall, Meanwood, Middleton, Otley, Pudsey, Seacroft, Wetherby and Yeadon. Checked 27/10/2026.
A few things to know before you go:
- Car or bike only. The recycling sites page says the tips are for Leeds residents arriving by car or bicycle. A van or trailer needs a permit first.
- Winter hours are shorter. Otley, for example, runs 8am to 4pm from 26/10/2026 to 28/03/2027, with last entry 15 minutes before closing. Check your own site’s page.
- Closed three days. Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
- Bag it for the car. An old duvet cover or a tree bag stops needles going everywhere, and it can go home with you.
Do hospices still collect Christmas trees in Leeds?
They did last January, and it is a nice way to get rid of a tree and help a local charity at the same time. In January 2026, St Gemma’s Hospice collected from 08/01 to 15/01 in LS4 to LS9, LS13 to LS18, LS22, LS23 and LS25. Sue Ryder collected from 07/01 to 13/01 in LS6 to LS8, LS14 to LS21 and LS26 to LS28. Both asked for a small donation, and volunteers took the tree from outside your home.
We could not find dates for January 2027 when this was written on 27/10/2026. Both served set postcodes only, so check the St Gemma’s and Sue Ryder websites in December.
What about Bradford, Kirklees and Wakefield?
Each council does it differently. This is what their own pages say, checked 27/10/2026.
| Council | Real tree | Brown bin over Christmas |
|---|---|---|
| Leeds | Garden waste skip at any of the 8 tips, or a hospice collection | Paused for winter |
| Bradford | Tip, as your garden waste bin only takes twigs and small branches cut small | No collections after 18/12/2026 until 19/01/2027 |
| Kirklees | Tip, or a charity collection scheme | Bins do not take Christmas trees |
| Wakefield | Wakefield Hospice or Prince of Wales Hospice collection for a donation | Check your bin day |
Sources: Bradford garden waste service, Kirklees what goes where, Wakefield Christmas bin advice. The Wakefield hospice details are from last Christmas, so check both hospices for this year.
What do I do with an artificial Christmas tree?
If it still looks good, pass it on. Leeds says artificial trees in good condition can be donated in the reuse container at the tip. Kirklees suggests charities, and Wakefield suggests a local school or community group. A tree with all its branches and the stand is easy to give away on Freecycle or Leeds Freegle in November, when people are looking.
A broken artificial tree is a mix of plastic and metal wire that cannot be separated at home, so it goes in the general waste at the tip rather than the recycling. If it is pre lit, it is electrical waste, which is the next question.
How do I get rid of old Christmas lights?
Fairy lights, light up reindeer and pre lit trees all have a plug, battery or cable, so they are electrical waste. Leeds City Council asks you not to put electrical items in your black bin. The council’s electricals page says you can recycle everything with a plug, battery or cable at an electricals bank, and bigger items at a recycling centre. Take batteries out and recycle them separately, as most supermarkets have a battery box. Working lights can go in the reuse container at the tip.
Our guide to disposing of electricals in Leeds covers bigger items too.
When does it make sense to pay for a collection?
When there is no car, the tree is two metres of sticky spruce, or it is part of a bigger January clear out with boxes, packaging and a broken artificial tree. That is where a paid collection earns its keep.
| Option | Cost | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Leeds tip, garden waste skip | Free | Anyone with a car |
| Hospice collection | Donation | Postcodes they cover, in their week |
| Brown bin, cut small | Free | Only when collections are running |
| Kruze garden waste collection | from £24.99 | No car, or with other rubbish |
| Kruze quarter van load | from £50 | Tree plus January clear out |
The £24.99 minimum covers up to 40kg, roughly six to eight black bags of waste, and includes labour, disposal and the transfer note. See our garden waste collection page or the guide to garden waste without a skip.
Whoever you pay, check they are on the Environment Agency register of waste carriers. A tree dumped on a verge in January can be traced back to the household that handed it over.
FAQs
When are the Leeds tips closed over Christmas?
Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Every other day they are open, on winter hours, so check the site page before you set off.
Can I put a Christmas tree in the green recycling bin?
No. The green bin is for dry recycling. A real tree is garden waste, so it goes to the tip, a hospice collection or the brown bin when that service is running.
Can I burn my Christmas tree in the garden?
There is no law against an occasional garden bonfire, but Leeds City Council can act if the smoke causes a nuisance. A fresh tree is full of resin and smokes heavily, so the garden waste skip at the tip is the better choice.
Do you collect Christmas trees outside Leeds?
Yes, across Bradford, Halifax, Huddersfield, Wakefield, Harrogate and Barnsley at the same prices. We answer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Kruze is a licensed waste carrier (CBDU597687) based in Leeds, serving Leeds, Bradford, Halifax, Huddersfield, Wakefield, Harrogate and Barnsley. Updated 27/10/2026.
Send a photo of your tree on WhatsApp for a fixed price, or call 07436 120271.
