What to throw in each container to recycle well

In 2022, in Spain they were delivered for recycle more than 1.6 million tons of packaging domestic, a 3.6% more than in 2021, according to Ecoembes. Recycling figures in our country have increased a lot in recent years, but they are still below those of other European countries or the objectives established by the European Union for 2025.

Recycling, in addition to giving waste a new use, is essential to save energy, reduce pollution And help mitigate climate change.

Although, broadly speaking, almost all of us know What container does each waste go to?sometimes doubts arise: where do you have to throw the aluminum foil?, does the tube of toothpaste go to the yellow container?, and the wooden boxes?…

What goes into the yellow bin

It is the container of plastic and metal containers (although not all plastic products should be thrown away).

What must be thrown in the yellow container:

Plastic bottles or containers. Plastic bags (clean and dry), except garbage bags. White cork or expanded polystyrene (polystyrene) containers. Canned goods, beverage cans and metal containers (such as aerosols). Briks, it is that is, carton containers for milk, juices and other beverages. Aluminum trays. Plastic or metal lids and caps and sheets. Toothpaste tubes. Yogurt tubs and lids. White cork trays. Aluminum foil. .Wooden boxes for fruits and vegetables or wines and other beverages. Ceramic containers such as yogurts or curds.

Although it often creates confusion, do not throw in the yellow bin plastic products such as damaged toys, feeding bottles, pacifiers, kitchen utensils or plastic buckets. They all go to the gray container.

What goes into the blue bin

The blue container is for paper and cardboard. In it go:

Newspapers and magazines Cardboard boxes (flattened). Office and packaging paper. Cardboard packaging for food, footwear, frozen products…

You must bear in mind that the briks are not only made of cardboard, they also contain plastic and aluminum, and that is why they go to the yellow container.

Neither do napkins or used kitchen paper go to the blue container, which goes to the organic waste container.

What goes into the green bin

Green is the container of glass (not glass) and in it you can throw:

Glass bottles, jars and jars of any color (remember to remove plastic or metal caps beforehand and throw them in the yellow container).

Eye! glass is not recyclable and should not be thrown in the green bin. Although they are two terms that are often confused and used interchangeably, glass and crystal are not the same: glass is the result of the fusion of different raw materials (silica, soda and limestone) and has an irregular structure, while crystal is a perfect solid that contains lead oxide, which has a regular atomic structure. Glass is used in everyday itemswhile crystal is preferred for decorative pieces and glassware. Objects such as glasses, light bulbs or mirrors must be taken to the clean point

What goes into the brown bin (organic bin)

In the organic container, which is usually brown and it is not yet in all the autonomous communities, all those compostable scrapsas:

Food scraps and fruit and vegetable peelings. Eggshells. Coffee grounds and tea bags. Used napkins and kitchen paper. Vegetable residues.

What to throw in the gray bin

The gray container is for all those waste that cannot be recycled or compostedas:

Diapers. Sanitary products (such as sanitary pads or sanitary napkins). Ceramic objects. Litter for domestic animals. Butts. Certain plastics (toys, kitchen utensils…).

What can be brought to the clean point

In addition to the containers that we have mentioned, there are collection points for certain items, which is known as clean points. In them are collected objects that cannot be deposited in the containers because they are too big or dangerous, for example: household appliances, electronic devices, glass objects, paint residues, cooking or motor oil, furniture, chemical products…