How to sort your trash

Geneva produces approximately 529 kg of urban waste per person per year, 369 kg of which come from households (2022 figures).

Burning trash requires extremely sophisticated equipment to protect the environment, which is a major cost for municipalities to bear. Recycling helps conserve resources and allows for considerable savings.
2/3 of the contents of our garbage cans is easy to recycle.

How to sort:

• organic waste
• paper and cardboard
• glass
• electrical and electronic equipment
• bulky items
• special waste (batteries, unused paints, oils, lightbulbs...)
• other recyclable waste (aluminum, tin, PET bottles, textiles, coffee capsules)
• household waste (incinerable waste)

Lists of waste carriers and collectors

There are two categories of organic waste :

Documentation

More information

• More information about green waste recovery

Paper and cardboard    

• What to include ?
  All kinds of paper and cardboard: printed paper, newspaper, magazines, envelopes, loose leaf paper, boxes, etc.

• Warning : Facial tissue, paper napkins, soiled paper and cardboard, self-adhesive sheets, and composite packaging (milk and fruit cartons) must be thrown away with incinerable waste.

• Collection : Inquire with your municipality.

More information about paper recovery

 

Glass    

• What to include ?
  All jars, flasks, and bottles.

• Warning : Window glass and mirrors, as well as porcelain and ceramics of small size and in small quantities should be thrown away with incinerable waste; in large quantities, it must be taken to a cantonal recycling center.

• Collection: Inquire with your municipality.

  

• What to include ?
  Office and computer equipment (landline and mobile phones, computers, screens, printers, etc.), leisure electronics (televisions, radios, hi-fi systems, CD, DVD, and MP3 players, lighting, cameras, video game consoles, etc.), household appliances (vacuum cleaners, coffee machines, stoves/cookers, refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers, irons, etc.).

 

• Collection : Businesses are legally required to take back appliances of the same types that they sell, regardless of the brand or the place or date of purchase. For example, you can take your old TV to any store that sells TVs, even without a new purchase. Unusable electric and electronic equipment can also be taken to a cantonal recycling center. Functioning appliances can be donated to charity.

More information about disposing of electric and electronic equipment

 

For example, furniture, scrap metal, etc.     

Voluminous and often heavy, these objects must not be left just anywhere at any time.

Warning : Appliances and electronics are not included in this category.

• Collection: Most Geneva municipalities collect oversize items and scrap metal. Some provide regular pickup on set dates, others provide on-call pick-up. Inquire with your municipality. Oversize items can also be taken to a cantonal recycling center.

Don't forget that items in good condition can also be donated to charity or sold or donated online.

More information about disposal of oversize wood items and oversize metal items

 

       

Some domestic waste is particularly polluting and cannot be disposed of with ordinary household garbage.

Examples of special waste :

• Batteries, storage batteries, eco-bulbs, fluorescent tubes, LEDs: All businesses that sell these products are legally required to take them back free of charge.
• Leftover paint (in liquid, solid, or aerosol form), varnish, oil, paint removers, thinners, glues, pesticides, fertilizers, cleaning products, pest-control poisons, and various chemical products, mineral oils, vehicle batteries: These must be deposited at a cantonal recycling center.
• Expired or unused medicines (without boxes), mercury thermometers, and x-rays: These are collected free of charge by pharmacies.

More information about the elimination of special waste

 

 

Aluminum and tin  

Aluminum and tin

• What to include ? Aluminum cans, tubes, trays, and foil, as well as empty aerosol cans, items in aluminum (pans, strainers, etc.), and tin cans (canned food, animal food, etc.)
• Collection : Most municipalities have containers for collecting aluminum and tin packaging. Tis packaging can also be left with certain businesses.  

More information about aluminum and tin recycling

Coffee capsules  

• What to include ? Aluminum capsules are collected separately. Special collection containers are available at certain municipal recycling centers and at various specialized shops. Plastic capsules must be thrown away with incinerable waste.

• Collection : Certain municipalities provide containers for collecting coffee capsules.
  Find a collection location

More information about recycling coffee capsules

 

PET  

• What to include ? All PET drink bottles, but not other PET packaging, which must be thrown away with incinerable waste (oil bottles, vinegar bottles…).

• Warning : Milk bottles are not made of PET plastic but PE, and must be thrown in the garbage.

• Collection : Most municipalities as well as large retailers provide containers for collecting PET bottles.

More information about PET recycling

 

Textiles  

• The collection of textiles benefits various charity organizations serving the poor. Most municipalities provide containers for textile collection. Textiles can also be deposited directly with charities.

• Which textiles are reused :

  • wearable clothing in good condition only

  • clean clothes
    No damaged clothes

More information about textile recycling

 

Certain waste is not recycled and must be eliminated in the regular garbage bin :

• plastics (with the exception of PET drink bottles),
• soiled paper and cardboard (food packaging), self-adhesive and plastic-coated papers, paper tissues and napkins,
• composite packaging and objects (meaning made from several different materials),
• "classic" incandescent lightbulbs, halogen bulbs,
• broken dishes and porcelain,
• vegetable oils (put them in any plastic container, and dispose of them with kitchen garbage, maximum 1 liter per garbage bag),
• pet litter, vacuum-cleaner-bag contents, cigarette butts,
• diapers/nappies.

 

• Collection : Household garbage collection is provided by municipalities. Some collect house to house, others ask residents to deposit garbage in centralized collection points. Inquire with your municipality.