Recycling Bin Colours and Their Meanings

Recycling bins with different colours are for various types of waste from homes and businesses. The colours of these bins specify what type of waste material should be put in them, and knowing where to drop your waste is environmentally important.

These coloured bins can only have recyclable or compostable items thrown in them. It’s a kind of initial sorting process to identify and collect recyclables and compostable waste. Although there is some variation from region to region, the aim of this innovation remains to reduce waste by increasing recycling and composting, thus decreasing the amount of waste in landfills.

Recycling Bin

A recycling bin is a container used for collecting recyclable waste before it’s sent to designated recycling centres. It is designed with the intent to promote environmental sustainability.

These waste collection bins are available in different sizes and are used in homes, offices, as well as large public facilities. The bins come in different colours for the proper disposal of waste materials such as plastics, paper, metals, glass, e-waste, and organic waste, such as food scraps.

The different colours guide users on which waste materials go into a specific bin. It’s a sorting system that helps to separate waste material types. Bin colours vary based on the region—as there is no universal standard for bin colours. However, the blue bins are commonly used to indicate recycling in public settings.¹

Learn more: How to Dispose of Candles Properly

Recycling Bin Colours and Their Meanings

Blue Bin

Blue recycling bins are for collecting paper and cardboard materials no longer useful in homes and businesses. They are specifically for disposing of items such as newspapers, magazines, birthday cards, etc.

Paper materials are 100% recyclable, and the processes can be repeated multiple times. Waste collection for paper materials helps reduce waste that would otherwise be littering the streets.

Blue bins help users identify where to dispose of their paper waste. By using these bins, more paper products are recycled, which helps preserve resources used in paper production.

However, in some regions, blue recycling bins may be used to collect different recyclable waste materials such as paper, plastic, metal or glass, depending on the local recycling guidelines.

Green Bin

It’s believed that green bins represent the natural circle of life and decay. They are often used to dispose of organic waste composted to produce organic fertilizer for plant growth.

The organic waste thrown into green bins includes food scraps, yard waste, and any other biodegradable waste. While organic waste can decompose naturally, compositing in green bins ensures the waste is effectively transformed into organic fertilizer for growing plants.

However, in places like the United Kingdom, the green recycling bin is generally used to collect waste materials such as wine bottles, jars, plastic bottles, and food drinks.

Yellow Bin

The yellow bin is made for collecting different types of waste from metals to plastic. This means you can throw aluminium cans, polyethene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottles, cardboard boxes, and newspaper into a yellow recycling bin. However, it is better to place paper products in a bin typically designated for paper products.

There are user instructions for disposing of these items, including rinsing plastic food containers and not placing wax-coated or plastic-coated materials in the bins. After collecting the recyclables, they are sent to a material recycling facility (MRF) where they are properly sorted and ready for recycling.

Learn more: How to Dispose of Fluorescent Tube Properly

Red Bin

Red bins are used for the proper disposal of hazardous waste. These include household hazardous waste such as paint, paint thinners, chemicals, and batteries. They are also used for collecting electronic waste, which usually contains toxic substances such as mercury, lead, and other metals—certain phthalates and flame retardants.

Red bins can also be used for disposing of different waste items depending on the region and local recycling guidelines. In the United Kingdom for example, items like food trays, yoghurt pots (without a lid), empty shampoo and other cleaning products can be thrown into red bins.²

In Australia, broken glass, disposable razors and toothbrushes, vacuum cleaner bag contents, ashes from the fireplace, swabs and cotton balls, and disposable sanitary products can go into the red bin.³

White Bin

The white bins are generally used for the disposal of soft plastic items such as bags, bubble wrap or any type of soft plastic food packaging material.

The recycling process for soft plastic materials is different from hard plastics. Their chemical composition and physical properties are different—and this is why they are collected differently for recycling.

Always make sure to check with your local waste management service to find out if they accept plastic bags or bubble wrap for recycling.

Learn more: Can You Recycle Notebook Paper?

Black Bin

The black bin collects any household waste that is considered non-recyclable. The black bins can hold anything from diapers, sanitary pads, medical waste, hazardous chemicals, and other non-recyclable waste.

Black bins are used for general waste disposal in parts of the United Kingdom. It’s for any waste item that cannot be recycled or composted. So, if you find a black bin in your neighbourhood, use it to dispose of all non-recyclable waste.

A bin with such waste content is carefully handled and there could be some exceptions as to what waste can be thrown into these waste bins. We recommend you contact your local council before dumping waste into a black bin.

Grey Bin

In some places, grey recycling bins are used for disposing of any household waste. However, they can also be used to collect ‘dry’ recyclables such as paper and food cans.

Purple Bin

Purple bins are gaining popularity across the United Kingdom. According to Glasgow City Council, waste items that can be thrown into a purple bin include wine bottles, coffee jars, sauce bottles, beer bottles, and jam jars. Items not to throw into a purple bin include Pyrex glass, cups, plates, light bulbs, and drinking glasses.⁴

In parts of the United Kingdom like Liverpool, the purple bin is for the disposal of food waste, pet food, and household waste.⁵

Conclusion

Recycling bin colours indicate what waste material goes into it. Colour can differ based on region but the aim of having these bins is to reduce solid waste by recycling.

Each colour is designed to dispose of recyclables such as paper materials, metals, glass, plastics, e-waste, and organic waste.

Sources

1. Wikipedia contributors. (2024, May 28). Recycling bin. Wikipedia. ↩︎
2. Botham, D. (2024, June 12). Recycling bin colours in the UK. RecyclingBins. ↩︎
3. Tahsin. (2023, November 11). Recycling bin colours in Australia – Guide on council bins. Sustainably Sorted. ↩︎
4. Purple Recycling Bin – Glasgow City Council. (n.d.). Glasgow City Council. ↩︎
5. What goes in my bins? – Liverpool City Council. (n.d.). Liverpool City Council. ↩︎