Reykjavík City offers citizens various choices in residential waste collection. The city offers four types of bins where citizens can place all paper, plastics and ordinary household waste.

Choices

Reykjavík offers citizens to choose their level of service in waste collection and pay according to that. Citizens can choose whether they want to use waste drop off centres or Sorpa waste collection areas for recyclable materials or have those materials collected from their homes.

In Reykjavík there are choices of four types of bins for household waste, blue, green and large and small grey bin. You can choose to have only the grey bin but then you need to take your recyclables to waste drop off centres which are 57 around the city or to a Sorpa waste collection area as it is forbidden to put several waste categories into the grey bin. Or you can choose to order blue and green bins for paper and plastics.

You can also choose to order bins from private companies for sorted waste.

Household waste is collected with 14 day intervals. By sorting your waste you can lessen the quantity that goes into the grey bin for mixed household waste and save waste collection fees by ordering the small grey bin.

Bins

Blue: for all paper and carton, newspapers, magazines, and all packaging made from carton such as milk and juice cartons. Rinse all food from the materials and compress them to make room for more. Do not put any plastics into the blue bin.

Green: For all plastics, both soft and hard. Soft plastics are for example  plastic bags, plastic film and bubble plastic. Hard plastics are containers of all sorts, for example yoghurt boxes, plastic trays, and shampoo containers. Rinse all food and chemicals from plastics before placing in bin.

At apartment buildings, the number of grey bins may be reduced with the introduction of blue and green bins.

Grey – large: Only for mixed, light residential waste. It is forbidden to place paper and carton in this bin, garden waste, construction and demolition waste, soil or rocky materials. It is also forbidden to place bottles and cans which have recycling fee.

Grey – small: Only for mixed, light residential waste. It is forbidden to place paper and carton in this bin, garden waste, construction and demolition waste, soil or rocky materials. It is also forbidden to place bottles and cans which have recycling fee.

The grey-small bin is tailored for homes which have a small quantity of waste. It is cheaper than the grey–large bin.

All bins can be ordered at sorphirda@reykjavik.is or by phoning 411 8500 and are delivered free of charge

Waste drop off centres

Waste drop off centres are located all across the city. By sorting waste and taking it there you help the environment and save money.

Waste drop off centres have containers for:

  • Paper and carton products such as milk and juice cartons, newspapers, magazines, and other paper products.
  • Plastics, all plastics that fit into the container.
  • Clothes and textiles provided by the Red Cross.
  • Bottles and cans with recycling fee provided by the Scout Movement.
  • Glass which must be clean before being placed in the container. (Still only on four centres, Skógarsel, Sundlaugavegur, Klambratún and Kjalarnes)

Sorpa waste collection areas

Sorpa waste collection areas collect 36 categories of waste. There are six such areas in the greater Reykjavík area but three in Reykjavík. There you can dispose of all bigger items which do not fit in any bins, such as furniture, electric appliances such as washing machines, televisions and refrigerators, timber, garden waste and building materials. SORPA waste collection areas.

Few easy tips

Paper and carton should be placed in the blue bin which can be ordered from Reykjavík City. You can also choose to bring your paper and carton to the nearest waste drop off centre or to a SORPA waste collection area.

Plastics should be sorted from household waste. A Green bin for plastics can be ordered from the City. Drop off centres and SORPA waste collection area also collect plastics.

Bottles and cans from beverages which bear recycling fees should be returned to Endurvinnslan or to one of Sorpa´s waste collection areas or to other facilities that process non-reactive waste and are licensed for such operations.

Lumber, scrap metal and other rouch waste material should be brought to one of Sorpa´s waste collection sites .

Hazardous waste, medicine or other dangerous substances should never mix with other household waste. It can be brought to Sorpa‘s waste collection sites.

Glass can be sorted and taken to Sorpa or to special glass containers located in four waste drop off centres. Make sure the glass is clean and sort metal lids from glass jars and place them in metal containers.

Clothes and textiles. Most  waste drop off centres sites have containers from the Red Cross that collect used clothes and textiles. Take all textile products there instead of putting it in your household waste.

Batteries should be taken to Sorpa waste collection sites.

Tel: 411 8500 

E-mail: sorphirda@reykjavik.is

Reykjavík waste management collects residential waste. Private companies decide for themselves who handles their waste collection. Reykjavík City puts great emphasis on waste sorting and recycling. By sorting our domestic waste we can lessen the waste which goes to landfills and recycle valuable materials like paper, cardboard, metals, plastics, clothes and textiles, glass etc.