Waste separation: clean yogurt pots before throwing them away?

Separating waste is part of everyday life in most households. Not everything always works out – the most important information is available here.

Correct waste separation is not always easy – every day, food and goods end up in the wrong waste and can no longer be properly recycled later. You should pay particular attention to this:

In Germany there are usually five categories into which waste is divided: glass, paper, residual waste, organic waste and materials. It should always be carefully considered in which of these five containers you will dispose of the garbage, as this will later be recycled in different ways. Correct waste separation is the basis for further processing of the waste.

Does the packaging have to be clean?

Basically, recyclable plastic materials are thrown either in the yellow sack or in the yellow bin. These include Tetra Paks, cans of beverages or canned food and plastic bags. Packaging made of aluminum or tinplate also belongs in the yellow trash can – even if other materials are mixed in. Glass and paper are not allowed in the yellow bin and have to be separated separately. As a rule, the yellow bags indicate which waste can be thrown in there.

Larger plastic objects, such as plastic rubbish bins or small electrical appliances, should also not end up in the yellow bin, but should be disposed of at the recycling center. As a matter of principle, plastic food packaging does not have to be rinsed before it ends up in the trash.

What is allowed in the organic waste?

The organic waste is intended for all food and plant waste. If possible, however, an organic waste bag made of compostable plastic should be dispensed with, as this does not break down into humus and thus does not add any added value later when recycling. Ideally, the organic waste is collected directly in a container and then placed in the bin. If that is not possible, it can also be disposed of in newspaper or in a paper bag.

How is glass properly separated?

Glass containers are basically separated by color. It should be noted that no other colors should be thrown in to white and brown glass. With green glass, however, brown or colored bottles can also be added; these discolorations usually do not affect the green glass. The environment also benefits from correct separation, because almost 100 percent of the waste glass can be recycled if the waste is properly separated. Glass containers can be thrown into the waste glass container without being washed.