Gray bin for mixed waste

All homes in Reykjavík have gray waste bins for mixed household waste. A gray bin is 240-liters in size, but if you live in a multi-family dwelling, you can request a larger container for mixed waste. If you have a small amount of mixed household waste, you can get a smaller gray bin, a thrifty bin, which is both smaller and cheaper.

Order a bin

How much does the gray bin cost?

What can go in the gray bin?

Materials for methane production

Mixed waste

  • Food leftovers
  • Food contaminated packaging
  • Composite packaging
  • Vacuum cleaner bags
  • Disposable diapers

Loose metals

  • Food cans
  • Tea light cups
  • Aluminum trays and lids
  • Note that metals may also be returned to recycling centers, in which case a higher percentage goes to recycling

What can NOT go in the gray bin?

  • Recyclable paper or cardboard
  • Refundable beverage containers
  • Garden waste, earth material or stones
  • Batteries
  • Toxic waste, medicines, or other hazardous waste
  • Timber, fragment metal, plaster battering, or other coarse waste

Why is metal not sorted?

You can sort metals from the mixed household waste that will otherwise go in the gray bin if residents want to ensure that all their waste metal is recycled. Residents can return the metals to the nearest recycling center, six of which are in the capital area. This method achieves the best results in terms of sorting metals.

SORPA uses machines at the company's reception and sorting plant in Gufunes to sort metals deposited in gray bins and thrifty bins for mixed household waste. It is estimated that up to 60% of all metal is captured from the waste using this method. More can be achieved if residents place all loose metal in the bins. The machines sort both magnetic metal (such as food cans) and non-magnetic metal (such as aluminum foil) from the mixed waste after it has been chopped.

Q&A

What can go in the gray bin and thrifty bin?

Gray bins (including the thrifty bin) are for mixed household waste. Mixed household waste:

  • Food leftovers
  • Food contaminated packaging
  • Composite packaging
  • Vacuum cleaner bags
  • Disposable diapers

Loose metals may also be deposited in the gray bin:

  • Food cans
  • Tea light candles
  • Aluminum trays and lids

Note that these may also be returned to recycling centers, in which case a higher percentage is recycled.

What cannot go in the gray bin:

  • Recyclable paper or cardboard
  • Textiles
  • Refundable beverage containers
  • Garden waste
  • Masonry fragmentation
  • Minerals
  • Coarse waste, such as timber and scrap metals
  • Electrical equipment
  • Batteries
  • Toxic waste
  • Medicines

Do I need to order a gray bin or a thrifty bin?

Residents must have access to a bin for mixed waste at their home.

The gray bin is designed to hold up to 240 liters of mixed waste, but single-family households with smaller amounts of waste may opt for the 120 liter thrifty bin, which is more cost-effective than the gray bin.

Residents of multi-family housing may request a 660 liter container, if conditions allow.

How much does the gray bin cost?

For pricing information on gray bins and thrifty bins, please refer to the Waste Collection Fees.

These fees are included with property taxes, and in Reykjavík they vary based on the number of bins, container size, collection rate, distance to unload the container, and the type of waste. The fees will be updated the same week a request to change the bins is made.

How many times a month are gray bins and thrifty bins emptied?

Gray bins and thrifty bins are generally collected every 14 days.

You can check the waste collection calendarto find out when your waste will be collected. This calendar is organized by City district.

What happens if the wrong product is sorted into a gray bin or a thrifty bin?

If the waste is incorrectly sorted in the gray bin, it is not emptied. Before the bin can be emptied, you need to remove the misclassified waste. The bin will then be emptied on the next collection day, after more than two weeks. If the bin needs to be emptied before then, you can:

  1. Contact the City of Reykjavík and request an additional waste-collection pick-up to be paid for according to the table of fees.
  2. Bring the misclassified waste from the bin to the nearest drop-off center or recycling center.

Any other questions?

Contact us: sorphirda@reykjavik.is

Telephone hours: Every weekday from 8:30 am to 9 am and 1 pm to 2 pm at 411 1111