Three Bin System

Why good bin use is important

All households in Ireland with a kerbside waste collection service must be provided with separate collections, by their service provider, for:

• Mixed Dry recyclables
• Food & Garden waste
• General Waste

Recycling turns what would be waste material into new useful products or back into the same thing again – glass bottles & jars are a great example as they are infinitely recyclable. This reduces energy consumption, emissions, the use of finite raw materials and helps control air, water and land pollution that may occur the more the ‘general’ or ‘residual’ waste bin is used.

Recycling is a group effort that works best when everyone takes part. We all have a role to play to sort our waste as well as possible and maximise what is recycled. Loads of recyclable materials that are contaminated with non-recyclable items or with food waste can end up in landfill.

It only takes a few minutes to rinse out plastic, glass and tin containers and sort our cardboard, this is a simple climate action we can all take.

Currently Ireland recycles approximately 30% of all plastics in use in the country. Recycling targets for packaging are very challenging, by 2025 the target set by the EU is to recycle 50% of all plastic and by 2030 55%.

Recycling targets for packaging are very challenging. Currently Ireland recycles approximately 30% of its plastics but by 2025 the target set by the EU is to recycle 50% of all plastic and to recycle 55% by 2030. All of us play a part in helping Ireland achieve the EU and national targets. You can play your part by ensuring all soft plastic is now placed in the recycling bin clean, dry and loose.

What Goes in Each Bin?

Our ‘Take A Minute Before You Bin It‘ campaign brings you through some rules for household bin use and teaches you through a game but the basics are also below.

Recycling Bin

All items in the recycling bin need to be clean, dry and loose.

You should put the following items in your recycling bin:

• All plastics – both rigid and soft
• Tins and metals
• Paper and cardboard

* DRS – if a deposit was paid at time of purchase of a plastic bottle or aluminum can this can be reclaimed at participating retail outlets. More information can be found on Re-turn.ie.

All domestic waste collectors are required to at least collect the items on this list.

Brown Bin (food and organics)

Food waste includes all cuttings, peels or leftovers from your kitchen like:

• Raw & cooked food
• Eggshells
• Fruit & veg
• Dairy products
• Bread
• Coffee grinds & tea bags
• Kitchen roll/tissue
• Meat & fish

Light garden waste includes

• grass and plant clippings,
• twigs
• small branches

Light garden waste can be collected in a wheeled bin or in an atypical receptacle, like a skip bag, that must be agreed with your Local Authority. The garden waste must be collected at least monthly from March 1st to October 31st.

For more information on the brown bin, see here.

Residual Waste Bin

This is only for the materials and items that cannot either be recycled or composted, like:

• Floor sweepings
• Contaminated items
• Broken crockery
• Nappies & Wet wipes
• Soiled aluminium foil & containers
• Non-compostable disposable cups
• Composite items made of different, inseparable materials e.g. blister packs with both plastic and foil.

You can find information on specific waste items on our A-Z of Waste page but if you have any questions can contact us directly.