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- Green or brown bin
Green or brown bin?
In every household in Uppsala we have green and brown bins to put trash in.
(But be aware! Some apartment buildings might have similar bins for recycling, so always look at the sign on the bin before you throw your waste.)
The green bin
(in Swedish: "Restavfall" “Hushållsavfall”, “Brännbart”)


This bin is only for household waste that CAN´T be recycled or isn’t food waste. For example: cotton buds, diapers, envelops, cat litter, tampons, pads, balloons, toothbrushes, dust bags, dust.
The waste in the green bin will only be burned as combustible waste – this is why it’s important to recycle as much as possible and place your food waste in the brown bin.
The heat from the burning waste is used for district heating and electricity.
The brown bin
(in Swedish: “Matavfall”)


Food waste, like bad leftovers and things like peels, small chicken bones, old flowers and egg shells belong here! By separating and placing it into the brown bin we make it into bio-fertilizer for nearby fields and biogas for the local buses, taxis and cars.
During the year 2020 Uppsala will implement the use of paper bags for all households, but until then you can use any type of bag to dispose of your food waste.
This does NOT go in the brown bin: large bones, large seeds (like advocado), diapers, waste from garden, branches and twigs, mud or dirt, snus, packaging, chewing gum or bio-gradable plastic.