Brown bin collection service

Questions and Answers

1 – What does the legislation regarding household food and biowaste entail?

The legislation, which came into effect in January 2024, means all householders in Ireland are entitled to a brown bin recycling collection service from their waste collector.

2 – What percentage of households currently avail of the food waste collection service?

Approximately 69% of households in Ireland up to January 2024, were able to avail of a food waste collection service from their waste service collector.

3 – What are the key benefits for householders to get a brown bin?

It makes it easier for  households to participate and contribute to meeting the challenge of separating food and garden waste.

4 – What can go into the brown bin?

The brown bin service accepts all types of food including raw and cooked meat and fish, plate scrapings, along with fruit and vegetable peelings.  Out of date foods can also be placed in brown bin, remember all packaging must be removed.  Compostable packaging and take away items such as cups, bowls and cutlery can also be placed in the brown bin. Other items that can go into the brown bin include food-soiled paper napkins, food soiled paper towels, pizza boxes as well as grass clippings and light garden waste i.e. clippings, twigs and  small branches.

5 – How can I check if packaging is compostable?

EN 13432 is a European standard that specifies the requirements for packaging materials and products to be considered biodegradable and compostable.   The “Seedling” logo is a common certification mark, indicating that a product is certified industrially compostable according to EN 13432.

6 – What happens to the food and garden waste from a brown bin once it is collected?

The material from the brown bin is sent for composting or anaerobic digestion (AD) here on the island of Ireland. Anaerobic digestion processes food waste into a bio-gas – which in turn is used to generate electricity.

7 – When will brown bins be available for all householders?

All households who wish to avail of a brown bin collection service should contact your current waste collector.

8 – Is everyone entitled to a garden waste collection ?

Yes, all households are entitled  to a garden and food waste collection. For householders where food waste is collected in a 25 litre caddy, collectors must provide a monthly collection service for garden waste, at a minimum from March to October each year.