A new app designed to help prevent littering by showing people their nearest recycling bin is being launched in Leeds. 

The app, which will roll out for a six month trial in September, is part of a wider Leeds City Council initiative called #LeedsByExample, which aims to increase the recycling of food and drink packaging disposed of on the go.

The Council said it was launching #LeedsByExample because of the particularly high number of young people in the city, who are twice as likely to eat and drink on the go than other age groups.

Gavin Ellis, Director and Co-Founder of environmental behaviour change charity Hubbub, which is partnering with the council on the scheme, said: “We know that the public want to do the right thing and recycle as much as they can, but are often confused as to how to do this or simply don’t have access to the recycling facilities they need while they’re out and about.” 

The app will allow users to scan selected on-pack barcodes to help them understand what and how to recycle, the Council said.

Around 200 new recycling facilities will also be introduced on the streets, as well as in local offices, shopping centres, universities and on transport. Coffee cups can be recycled as part of the initiative, a spokesperson said.

The food to go industry is already worth £17.4bn a year and is projected to increase to over £23bn by 2022, so the amount of packaging waste is likely to increase.