In Germany, waste separation is a top priority. To avoid non-recyclable waste, household waste must be separated. For this purpose there is the 3-bin system, various containers and recycling centers:

3-ton system

As a rule, there are three different garbage cans for normal household waste in the yard or cellar.

Garbage can	What goes in it
Organic waste bin (brown)	Compostable kitchen and garden waste: Raw and cooked food waste (peelings, expired food, old bread, etc.) Coffee filters, tea bags, leaves, flowers, grass, small twigs, fallen fruit and small quantities of uncoated paper or sawdust from untreated wood, fish and meat in normal household quantities NO compostable plastic bags or compostable cat litter, animal excrement must also be disposed of separately
Paper bin (blue)	Paper, cardboard, carton, newspapers, catalogs, paper packaging NO coated paper NO tissue paper, napkins or paper handkerchiefs
Residual waste bin (gray)	Non-recyclable waste: e.g. cigarette butts, diapers, vacuum cleaner bags, cat litter, hygiene articles

Tips and information for better separation: PDF Download

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Recycling container

Everywhere in the city you will find large recycling containers in which you can dispose of the following waste:

• Glass (sorted into white, brown and green)
• Plastic and synthetic materials
• Metals (e.g. cans, aluminum foil)
• Old clothes and shoes

Reusable bottles have a deposit of approx. 15 cents and can be returned to supermarkets or beverage stores.

Recycling centers

For larger quantities of waste or hazardous waste, there are recycling centers throughout the city. You can dispose of the following waste there:

• Electrical appliances, scrap metal, old clothes and shoes, bulky waste and larger quantities of cardboard, paper and packaging materials, garden waste and glass.

Most supermarkets have a collection bin near the checkout for old batteries.

You can find more information at: www.awm-muenchen.de