Recycling in Spain: which bin is for what

Updated: October 2026

One of the first things newcomers notice in Spain is the row of large, colourful containers on every street corner. Most homes have no bin collected from the door, so you carry your sorted waste to these containers yourself. This guide explains which container is for what, the items people most often get wrong, where to take everything that does not fit in a street bin, and the local rules worth knowing.

The street containers at a glance

The colour system is broadly the same across Spain, although each town hall decides the details and some containers have coloured lids rather than coloured bodies.

Container	Yes	No
Yellow (envases)	Plastic bottles and packaging, cans, drink cartons (bricks), foil trays, aerosol cans, plastic bags, yoghurt pots	Plastic toys, kitchen utensils, CDs, pens
Blue (papel y cartón)	Clean paper and cardboard, newspapers, cereal and shoe boxes	Used kitchen paper, napkins, greasy paper, envelopes with plastic windows left in
Green igloo (vidrio)	Glass bottles and jars, without lids or corks	Drinking glasses, window glass, mirrors, light bulbs, ceramics
Brown (orgánico)	Food scraps, coffee grounds, tea bags, natural cork, small amounts of garden waste	Nappies, cat litter, cigarette ends, dust from the vacuum
Grey or dark green (resto)	Everything that does not fit in the others	Anything recyclable or hazardous

A simple rule for the yellow container: it is for packaging, not for “plastic” in general. A plastic bottle goes in yellow; a broken plastic chair does not. The Comunidad de Madrid publishes a handy A–Z list of where to throw each product (in Spanish) that applies well beyond Madrid.

The brown bin and what changed with the waste law

Spain’s waste law, Ley 7/2022, requires town halls to collect organic waste separately, and since 2025 they must also offer separate collection of textiles, used cooking oil and household hazardous waste. In practice, roll-out has been uneven: some towns have brown containers on every street, others only in certain neighbourhoods, and some still lack them. If there is no brown container near you, food waste goes in the resto container. The government’s waste services page explains what councils must provide and links to each region’s information.

Some brown containers are locked and open only with a card or app issued by the town hall. If you see one, ask at your ayuntamiento or its environmental services office how to get access.

Items people often get wrong

• Pizza boxes: clean parts go in blue; parts soaked in grease go in resto (or brown, if your town accepts it).
• Coffee capsules: plastic and aluminium capsules can go in yellow only when empty. With coffee still inside, they go in resto unless the brand runs its own collection.
• Corks: natural cork goes in brown; silicone or plastic stoppers go in yellow.
• Broken glasses and window glass: they melt at a different temperature from bottle glass and spoil the batch. Small amounts go in resto; larger pieces to the punto limpio.
• Light bulbs and batteries: never in the glass or yellow container. Many supermarkets and shopping centres have small collection boxes for both.
• Face masks, nappies and wet wipes: always resto, and never down the toilet.
• Cardboard boxes: fold them flat so they do not block the blue container’s opening, and never leave them on the ground beside it.

Where everything else goes

Punto limpio

Every area has a punto limpio (also called ecoparque or deixalleria in Catalonia), a municipal recycling centre for waste that does not belong in street containers: electrical items, paint, solvents, cooking oil, batteries, light bulbs, X-rays, thermometers, small amounts of building rubble, furniture and garden waste. Some towns also run a mobile punto limpio that visits different neighbourhoods on fixed days. Check opening hours and accepted materials on your town hall’s website first, as rules and limits differ.

Medicines: the SIGRE point

Pharmacies have a white SIGRE collection point for out-of-date or unwanted medicines, including pet medicines. Bring them in their box with the leaflet; there is no need to empty them. Needles, thermometers and X-rays are not accepted there.

Bulky items and old appliances

Mattresses, sofas and large furniture must not be left on the street at random. Most town halls run a free or low-cost recogida de enseres service: you book a collection by phone, app or online form, and leave the items outside your door on the agreed evening. When you buy a new appliance, the shop must take back the old one, so ask at the time of purchase.

Clothes and cooking oil

Textile containers, often run by charities, are common on streets and in supermarket car parks. For cooking oil, let it cool, pour it into a closed bottle and take it to an oil container or the punto limpio. Pouring oil down the sink causes blockages and is banned by some municipal by-laws.

Local rules, timing and costs

• When to take out rubbish: many town halls only allow general and organic waste to be deposited in the evening, before night-time collection. Recycling can usually be dropped off at any time. Look for a sticker on the container or check the municipal by-law (ordenanza de limpieza).
• Bags beside full containers: leaving bags or boxes on the ground is a common reason for fines. If a container is full, use the next one or report it to the town hall.
• Urbanisations and rural homes: containers may be grouped at the entrance of the urbanisation or on the main road rather than near your house. Ask your community administrator or neighbours.
• Rubbish tax: municipalities can charge a tasa de basuras, billed by the town hall or included with your water or property tax bill. The amount and method vary by town. Our guide to property taxes for foreign owners explains the local taxes that come with owning a home, and utility bills in Spain covers the rest of your household bills.

Tips for setting up at home

1. Use a multi-compartment kitchen bin or separate bags for yellow, blue, glass and organic waste. Spanish kitchens are small, so stackable bins help.
2. Rinse packaging only lightly; it does not have to be spotless, just empty.
3. Keep a box for batteries, bulbs and small electronics and empty it on your next supermarket trip or visit to the punto limpio.
4. Download your town hall’s app if it has one. Many show the nearest containers, punto limpio hours and how to book a bulky collection.

For wider tips on greener living, from saving energy to shopping locally, see our guide to sustainable living in Spain.

Useful links

• Comunidad de Madrid: where to throw each product (Spanish)
• administracion.gob.es: household waste services (Spanish)
• SIGRE: recycling medicines at pharmacies (Spanish)
• Sustainable living in Spain
• Electricity, water, gas and internet bills in Spain

FAQ: recycling in Spain

Which bin does a drinks carton go in?

The yellow container. Milk and juice cartons (bricks) count as packaging, even though they contain cardboard.

Should I remove the lids from glass jars?

Yes. Put the glass jar in the green igloo and the metal or plastic lid in the yellow container.

What if my street has no brown container?

Put food waste in the general (resto) container and check with your town hall whether brown containers are planned for your area.

How do I get rid of an old mattress?

Book your town hall’s bulky waste collection (recogida de enseres) or take it to the punto limpio. Leaving it next to the containers without booking can lead to a fine.

Disclaimer: This article is general information only. Container colours, collection times and fines are set by each town hall and can change – always check your local ayuntamiento’s rules.