BidòWhere to throw it › Compostable plates and cups
Where do compostable plates and cups go?
Compostable plates, cups and cutlery go in food waste (umido, organic), together with leftovers, if they are certified compostable.
What to do
- Look on the pack for the word «compostabile» (compostable) or the EN 13432 standard mark.
- If there is no indication, treat them as ordinary tableware.
What to avoid
- «Biodegradable» alone is not enough: food waste requires «compostable».
- Do not put them in plastic: they disrupt recycling.
Why it varies from municipality to municipality
Some composting plants do not accept them: in that case the municipality indicates residual waste. 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
- 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
- Cartridges and toner
- Paints and solvents
- Engine oil
- Tyres
- Rubble and debris
- Fruit crates
- Pots and pans
- Umbrellas
- Clothes hangers
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