The short answer
Published by John Fox, BinDay. Last updated 29 October 2026.
Paper towels used for food preparation, eating or wiping pots and pans go in the food-waste bin if they are free of cleaning products. They do not go in dry recycling. The empty cardboard kitchen roll tube is different: recycle it when it is clean, dry and loose.
Last checked 29 October 2026 by BinDay against the sources below. This guide covers the Republic of Ireland; bin colours and collector instructions can differ.
Why this answer
MyWaste sends food-soiled paper towels and napkins to the food-waste bin. This advice applies to towels used around food and excludes towels with cleaning products on them.
The cardboard tube follows the paper and card rule. MyWaste says it belongs in household recycling, clean, dry and loose. Keep it separate from the used towels.
What to do
- Check what the towel was used for and whether it has cleaning products on it.
- Put food-soiled towels without cleaning products in the food-waste bin.
- Recycle the clean, dry cardboard tube separately.
Common mistake to avoid
Do not put a food-soiled paper towel in dry recycling, or a towel with cleaning products in the food-waste bin.
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Sources and local checks
For a collection point, check what it accepts before travelling. For household-bin instructions, find your collector. How BinDay checks sources and corrects mistakes.
Council pages for this item
Irish local authorities license private collectors rather than running household bin rounds. Use the council page for civic amenity and official waste links, then confirm your collector.