Where to throw it › Cartridges and toner
Where do printer cartridges and toner go?
Empty ink cartridges and toner go to the recycling centre or in the containers of shops that take them back.
What to do
- Many manufacturers and shops offer free returns: look inside the box.
- Seal them in a bag to avoid making a mess.
What to avoid
- Do not throw them in residual waste or in plastic.
Why it varies from municipality to municipality
Some recycling centres do not accept them: in that case use the shops' take-back points. Each municipality chooses with its operator which bins to use and what can go in them.
This page summarises a general, cautious rule: the real rules vary from municipality to municipality and from operator to operator (colour of bags, accepted waste, days, collection points). If in doubt, what your municipality or the service operator indicates prevails.
Check your municipality's rules
Search for your municipality to see the collection calendar, the recycling centre's opening hours and, where available, the link to the official guide.
Other waste
- Nappies and sanitary pads
- Used cooking oil
- Expired medicines
- Used batteries
- Broken glass, mirrors and ceramics
- Light bulbs
- Furniture, mattresses and bulky waste
- Used clothes and shoes
- Coffee capsules and pods
- Pizza boxes
- Polystyrene
- Dog and cat litter
- Small appliances and electronic devices
- Milk and juice cartons (Tetra Pak)
- Aerosol cans
- Disposable masks and gloves
- Plastic bottles
- Glass bottles and jars
- Cans and tins
- Tin foil and aluminium trays
- Cling film
- Plastic plates and cups
- Plastic cutlery
- Compostable plates and cups
- Shopping bags
- Plastic and metal caps
- Corks
- Receipts
- Baking paper
- Paper tissues and napkins
- Dirty and greasy paper
- Wrapping paper
- Coffee grounds and tea bags
- Bones and fish bones
- Mussel and clam shells
- Fireplace and stove ash
- Grass, leaves and prunings
- Christmas trees
- Christmas lights
- Toys
- Toothbrushes
- Pens and markers
- CDs, DVDs and videotapes
- Chewing gum
- Cigarette butts
- Medicine blister packs
- Syringes and needles
- Thermometers
- Mobile phones and chargers
- Paints and solvents
- Engine oil
- Tyres
- Rubble and debris
- Fruit crates
- Pots and pans
- Umbrellas
- Clothes hangers
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