Practical answers for Irish recycling, food-waste and general bins, with links to official MyWaste and Re-turn guidance.
Put clean, dry, loose packaging in recycling; food scraps in the food-waste bin; and non-recyclable household rubbish in general waste. Keep glass, batteries, electricals and hazardous waste out of those bins and use the appropriate collection point. Bin colours vary, so check the label on your bin.
Before recycling a drinks bottle or can, check for the Re-turn logo: return eligible containers empty and undamaged to reclaim the deposit.
Reviewed 7 October 2026 by BinDay. Our sources and corrections policy.
Check the material, the right bin and the exceptions. Each detailed answer links to the Irish source we checked.
8 of 8 item guides
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Clean, dry, loose recyclables only
❌ Never put in the green bin:
Food waste, nappies, polystyrene, textiles, batteries, glass bottles and jars (bring glass to a bottle bank). Clean, dry, loose soft plastic packaging belongs in recycling.
All food waste and small garden waste
❌ Never put in the brown bin:
Plastic bags (unless certified compostable), pet waste, nappies, coal ash, soil, large branches
Non-recyclable, non-hazardous household rubbish
Yes. Empty soft plastic packaging, including bread bags, wrappers and film, belongs in household recycling in Ireland when it is clean, dry and loose.
Full answer and official sourcesPut clean cardboard in recycling and greasy or food-stained cardboard in the food-waste bin. MyWaste recommends separating the two parts of a takeaway pizza box.
Full answer and official sourcesAn ordinary disposable paper coffee cup goes in general waste. A cup certified compostable can go in the food-waste bin. A paper appearance alone does not make a cup recyclable.
Full answer and official sourcesMyWaste accepts small amounts of clean, dry shredded paper in household recycling and says to place it loose. Large business quantities need a specialist collection arrangement.
Full answer and official sourcesKeep batteries out of household bins. Bring them to a suitable battery collection point or civic amenity site. Many shops that sell batteries provide a collection box.
Full answer and official sourcesDisposable and rechargeable vapes belong in an approved take-back collection, not household bins. WEEE Ireland and ERP both provide routes for recycling these battery-powered devices.
Full answer and official sourcesLED bulbs, fluorescent tubes and compact fluorescent bulbs use a lamp-recycling collection. Older filament and halogen bulbs are not classified as WEEE by ERP, so check their disposal route with your collector.
Full answer and official sourcesAsk your pharmacy whether it accepts unwanted medicines, or check whether your civic amenity site accepts this hazardous waste. Do not assume every pharmacy provides the service.
Full answer and official sourcesDonate to charity shop or textile bank. Don't bin them.
Bring to your local civic amenity centre. Never pour down the drain.
Bring to civic amenity centre. Not suitable for any bin.
Clean, dry recyclables: paper, cardboard, cartons, plastic bottles, soft plastics such as bread wrappers, food tins, drinks cans and foil. Keep them loose, not in bags. Glass bottles and jars go to a bottle bank, not the green bin.
Yes. MyWaste says household recycling accepts soft plastic packaging such as bread bags, wrappers and plastic film. Keep it clean, dry and loose. Do not put a bag full of mixed recycling into the bin.
No. Keep eligible Re-turn bottles and cans empty and undamaged so the return machine can recognise them. Containers with the Re-turn logo carry a 15c deposit from 150ml to 500ml inclusive, or 25c above 500ml up to 3 litres. Return them at a participating shop or supermarket.
Food waste and garden waste: fruit and vegetable peelings, tea bags, coffee grounds, cooked leftovers, bread, egg shells, grass cuttings and compostable liners. Garden waste depends on your collection plan.
Put clean cardboard in recycling and greasy or food-stained cardboard in the food-waste bin. MyWaste recommends separating the two parts of a takeaway pizza box.
An ordinary disposable paper coffee cup goes in general waste. A cup certified compostable can go in the food-waste bin. A paper appearance alone does not make a cup recyclable.
Nappies go in the black bin (general waste). They cannot be recycled or composted.
Keep batteries out of household bins. Bring them to a suitable battery collection point or civic amenity site. Many shops that sell batteries provide a collection box.
Check your collector's current instructions for your plan, garden waste and unusual items. Find your provider for official contact and calendar links. Send corrections and source links to support@binday.ie.
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