Our GET reCYCLING Campaign

Our Get reCYCLING Campaign runs every year! Check back here for details, or keep an eye out on our social media to see when the next campaign is starting up.

We all know that cycling is good for our health and wellbeing, it’s kind to the environment and can be great fun. But a sad fact is many redundant bicycles sitting in sheds, garages and backyards, loved at one time but no longer used. Maybe a bike has been outgrown and no longer suits its rider. Or perhaps it’s had a tyre puncture or some other defect that you never got around to repairing.

Well, if it’s not going to get used, get it REused! Get reCYCLING!

Yorwaste’s GET reCYCLING Campaign aims to encourage the reuse and recycling of pre-loved bikes. Every year in Summer, we ask the public to donate their unwanted bikes to us so that they can find a new owner. We work in partnership with City of York Council, North Yorkshire Council and various charity partners to ensure the bikes are recycled for good causes.

So get on your bike! Or help someone get on a bike by donating yours!

How to get involved?

It’s simple: Donate your unwanted bikes to us.

Whether it’s a child’s, junior’s or adult’s cycle, a road bike, mountain bike, BMX, unicycle, tandem or just a good old classic bicycle, we’d love to have it.

Bring them along to any of the City of York or North Yorkshire Council household waste recycling centres (HWRCs)*. It doesn’t matter whether it’s good as new or seen better days. If it can be refurbished, it will be.

*Mobile HWRCs do not accept bikes

What do we do with the bikes?

Bikes will be donated to our charity partners, where they will be refurbished and repaired. All bikes will be entirely safe and roadworthy before being passed on for reuse.

Our theme changes every year so be sure to check out what we’re up to every summer!

GET reCYCLING Partners

Broken bikes can be fixed. But your childhood bike cannot grow up with you.

Again this year, we encourage everyone to donate their outgrown bikes so that children can get active through cycling easily. Bikes will be donated to schools and community groups for the benefit of children.

Previous campaigns have been in partnership with the Brownlee Foundation, York Sport (University of York) and The Recycle Project CIC.

The Brownlee Foundation

Founded by the triathlete brothers Alistair and Jonny Brownlee, the Brownlee Foundation’s mission is to inspire children to become active and enjoy sports. It holds mini-triathlons at schools regularly to encourage children to lead healthy lifestyles.

Bikes donated to the Brownlee Foundation will be given to schools for their children to borrow. A lot of children wish to own a bike for commuting to and from school easily but cannot, whether it’s because of the expensive price or limited space at home. With the bikes for loan at school, children will be able to access bikes without worrying about the aftermath of an outgrown bike at home.

Click here to learn more about them.

York Sport

Associated with the University of York, York Sport provides facilities at their sports centres and out in the community, which are open to the public. It encourages everyone to embrace active lifestyles and stay healthy through exercising.

Schools bring children to York Sport to take swimming lessons regularly. But it’s common to see children who are great swimmers yet have never gotten on a bike. To let students get the most out of their exercise time, York Sport arranges cycling lessons for them. Bikes received by York Sport will be used in these special cycling sessions.

Click here to learn more about them.

The Recycle Project CIC

A not-for-profit community interest company based in York. They collect and repair bicycles, as well as a whole range of other products. Their aim is to turn waste into opportunities and recycle as many goods as possible.

All bikes that have not found a home will go to The Recycle Project CIC for repair. They will be sold reasonably to support the costs of bicycle renovations or other good causes. No bikes will be left to waste.

Click here to learn more about them.