Ireland (IE)

Ireland is a parliamentary republic and island nation on the western edge of Europe — the only English-speaking country in the Eurozone — celebrated for its warmly welcoming culture and legendary pub life, dramatic Wild Atlantic Way coastline and emerald green rolling countryside, a remarkable literary tradition from Joyce to Beckett, and its role as the European headquarters for the world's leading technology companies including Google, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, and LinkedIn.

Capital: Dublin

Region: Europe

Language: English

Currency: EUR (€)

Cost of living: Expensive (index 80)

Emergency: 112

Recycling & Waste in Ireland

Bin system, bottle deposits, special disposal, and common mistakes.

Ireland has a three-bin household waste system — green lid bin (co-mingled recycling), brown lid bin (food and garden waste — organic), and black/grey lid bin (residual waste). Glass is NOT collected in the green bin — it must go to bottle banks at bring centres or supermarket car parks. The Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) launched in February 2024, providing 15c refund on cans and 25c refund on plastic bottles returned at TOMRA machines in supermarkets. Bin collection is provided by private contractors (not councils in most areas) — collection charges apply.

The Bin System

Green lid bin (Co-mingled recycling)

Green lid, typically grey or green body

Green bin / Recycling bin

Accepts

✓Plastic bottles (clean — milk bottles, water bottles, shampoo bottles)
✓Plastic containers and tubs (clean yoghurt pots, margarine tubs)
✓Tins and cans (clean — food cans, drink cans)
✓Aluminium foil and trays (clean)
✓Cardboard boxes (flattened, clean)
✓Paper (newspapers, magazines, office paper, envelopes)
✓Cartons (Tetra Pak, juice cartons, milk cartons)

Not accepted

✗Glass (glass jars, bottles — goes to bottle bank)
✗Black or dark plastic trays (cannot be sorted by optical scanners)
✗Plastic bags and film (soft plastic — bring to supermarket collection points)
✗Food-soiled packaging (rinse before recycling)
✗Styrofoam / expanded polystyrene
✗Nappies, incontinence products
✗Electronic waste (WEEE)
✗Batteries

Brown lid bin (Organic waste)

Brown lid

Brown bin / Compost bin / Food waste bin

Accepts

✓All food waste — cooked and uncooked (meat, fish, dairy, bread, fruit, vegetables)
✓Tea bags and coffee grounds
✓Egg shells
✓Cardboard and paper (small amounts, for absorption)
✓Garden waste: grass clippings, leaves, small branches, weeds
✓Compostable packaging (certified — look for EN13432 mark)

Not accepted

✗Non-compostable plastics
✗Glass
✗Metals
✗Pet waste (cat litter, dog faeces)
✗Large amounts of liquid

Black/grey lid bin (Residual waste)

Black or grey lid

Black bin / General waste bin

Accepts

✓Non-recyclable waste
✓Nappies and incontinence products
✓Hygienic waste (tissues, cotton wool)
✓Pet waste and cat litter
✓Contaminated or food-soiled packaging
✓Ceramic items (cups, plates — if broken, wrap safely)

Not accepted

✗Recyclables (paper, cardboard, plastics, cans)
✗Food waste (goes in brown bin)
✗Glass (goes to bottle bank)
✗Hazardous waste (batteries, paint, chemicals)
✗Electronic waste (WEEE)
✗Building rubble

Bottle bank / Glass bring bank

Usually green (clear/mixed glass) with separate containers by colour at some locations

Bottle bank / Glass recycling bank

Accepts

✓Glass bottles (beer, wine, spirits)
✓Glass jars (jam, sauce, food)
✓All coloured glass (green, clear, brown)

Not accepted

✗Window glass or mirror glass
✗Pyrex / oven dishes / ceramic
✗Drinking glasses or crystal
✗Light bulbs
✗China or pottery

Deposit Return Scheme containers

N/A (return at TOMRA reverse vending machines)

DRS — Deposit Return Scheme (TOMRA machines)

Accepts

✓Plastic bottles (PET) 150ml–3L with the DRS logo
✓Aluminium cans 150ml–500ml with the DRS logo

Not accepted

✗Glass bottles (not included in Irish DRS)
✗Non-DRS-marked containers
✗Crushed or heavily damaged containers
✗Containers without DRS label

Re-Turn Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) — Bottle Deposit System

Launched on 1 February 2024, Ireland's Deposit Return Scheme adds a deposit to single-use plastic bottles (150ml–3L) and aluminium cans (150ml–500ml) displaying the Re-Turn logo. The deposit is included in the product price at point of purchase and refunded when you return the empty container to a reverse vending machine (RVM).

Deposit Amounts

15c deposit per container for PET plastic bottles 150ml–500ml and all aluminium cans 150ml–500ml. 25c deposit for PET plastic bottles over 500ml up to 3L.

How to Return

Return to TOMRA reverse vending machines at major supermarkets (Tesco, Dunnes Stores, Lidl, Aldi, SuperValu). The machine issues a voucher redeemable at the checkout. Alternatively, some manual collection points exist at smaller retailers. The Re-Turn website (re-turn.ie) has a map of all return points.

Special Disposal

Electronic waste (WEEE)

Civic Amenity Sites (bring centres/recycling centres) operated by local authorities. Retailers are obliged to accept old electronics on a 1-for-1 basis when you buy a replacement. Currys, Harvey Norman, and similar stores. WEEE Ireland (weeeireland.ie) operates collection points nationally.

Do not put electronics in household bins — illegal and environmentally damaging. TVs, computers, small appliances, lights — all are WEEE.

Batteries and small electronics

Collection boxes at supermarkets, hardware stores, and schools. WEEE Ireland and Recycle points at petrol stations. Post Office/An Post also accepts batteries at some locations.

Never put batteries in household bins — fire risk in collection trucks. Bring to any supermarket with a battery collection box.

Medicines and sharps

Return unused medicines to any pharmacy (chemist) — they are legally required to accept them. Sharps containers and used syringes: return to pharmacy or HSE-designated sharps disposal point.

Never put medicines in household waste or flush down the toilet — serious environmental contamination risk. All Irish pharmacies accept returned medicines at no charge.

Bulky household items and furniture

Local Authority Civic Amenity Sites (bring centres/recycling centres). Some local authorities provide a bulky waste collection service — contact your council. Many charity shops (St Vincent de Paul, NCBI) collect reusable furniture and clothing.

Dumping bulky waste illegally (fly-tipping) is a serious offence with significant fines. Book a slot at your nearest civic amenity site at your local council's website.

Paint and chemicals

Hazardous waste section of Civic Amenity Sites. PaintBack programme at participating hardware and DIY stores accepts old paint.

Never pour paint, oil, solvents, or chemicals down the drain — serious environmental offence.

Clothing and textiles

Charity shops (SVP, NCBI, Irish Heart Foundation, Oxfam). Clothing banks at supermarkets and civic amenity sites. Penneys/Primark, H&M, and Zara have in-store textile collection points.

Even worn or torn clothing and textiles can be recycled through textile collection — don't put them in the bin.

Motor oil and tyres

Motor oil: Civic Amenity Sites, motor factors, and garages must accept used oil. Tyres: tyre retailers and garages must accept old tyres on a 1-for-1 basis.

These are classified as hazardous waste — never in household bins.

Bulk Waste

Local authority Civic Amenity Sites (bring centres) are available across Ireland — find yours at mywaste.ie. Residents can bring recyclables and non-recyclable waste (charged per bag/load for residual waste in most cases). Sites are free for hazardous waste (batteries, paint, chemicals) and WEEE. Note: bin collection in Ireland is operated by private companies — your bin charges cover only the collection, not disposal at civic amenity sites which are a separate council service.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

! Putting glass in the green bin — glass must go to a bottle bank
! Not rinsing packaging before recycling — contaminated packaging cannot be processed
! Putting DRS-eligible bottles in the green bin instead of returning them for the deposit
! Putting black plastic trays in the green bin — they cannot be sorted and contaminate loads
! Putting soft plastic bags in the green bin — they clog machinery; use supermarket collection points
! Leaving food-soiled cardboard (pizza boxes) in the green bin — food-soiled cardboard must go in the black bin
! Not registering for the correct bin size — undersized bins lead to overfilled, rejected collections
! Dumping illegally (fly-tipping) — carries fines up to €3,000 for individuals

Fines & Enforcement

Illegal dumping (fly-tipping) is a criminal offence in Ireland. On-the-spot fines: up to €250 for littering; larger fines for illegal dumping imposed by courts. Local authorities and waste enforcement officers prosecute illegal dumping. CCTV cameras are used at fly-tipping hotspots.

Practical Tips

→ Mywaste.ie is the definitive resource for waste disposal queries in Ireland — enter your Eircode to find local disposal options
→ Bin charges in Ireland are typically pay-per-lift (charged each time the bin is collected) or weight-based — minimise your black bin to reduce costs
→ The Re-Turn DRS scheme (15c/25c per container) adds up — return containers at your weekly supermarket visit
→ Civic Amenity Sites are free for recyclables and WEEE — use them for items that don't fit in your household bins
→ Check with your local authority for the bin collection calendar — often green/brown/black bins collected on a rotating fortnightly schedule