Find the right bin
What this solves
Travellers stare at four bins in a Berlin courtyard, pick the yellow one, and put a torn T-shirt in it because "plastic-ish". The Gelber Sack doesn't want a torn T-shirt — that's Altkleider. But in Hamburg the same torn T-shirt can go into the Wertstofftonne (mixed recyclable) because Hamburg's interpretation is broader. The bin colours are not standardised across Germany.
The other trap is Verpackung vs. Nicht-Verpackung: an empty yogurt cup (Verpackung) goes in Gelber Sack. An empty yogurt cup washed and re-used for craft = Residualmüll once you throw it away. The line is whether it's packaging at the moment of disposal, not what the material is.
How to read the result
- Gelber Sack / Gelbe Tonne = light packaging (plastic, aluminium, composite, foam). Yellow bag or yellow wheelie bin.
- Altpapier = paper, cardboard, newspapers, books. Blue bin.
- Glascontainer = glass by colour: white, green, brown. Public street containers.
- Biotonne = organic food + garden waste (where available). Brown or green bin.
- Restmüll = residual / non-recyclable. Black bin.
- Wertstoffhof = municipal recycling centre for bulky items, electronics, batteries, paint.
- Altkleider = clothes + shoes in good condition. Public clothing containers or charity drop-off.
Limitations
- Bin colours vary by municipality. Always check the label on the bin lid.
- Does not cover Sperrmüll (bulky waste) appointment booking — required for furniture, mattress etc.
- Glass container placement: in some residential streets there is no Glascontainer; you'll find one at the next block.
- Bio-Tonne is not available in every municipality (especially in dense cities like München, Hamburg).
- The Hessen vs Berlin distinction is the major exception; other states fall in between.
FAQ
What's the Hessen vs Berlin rule?
Hessen follows the strict dual system: Gelber Sack only contains Verpackung (lightweight packaging). Berlin interprets Verpackung broadly: anything that's plastic-like can go in Gelber Sack or Wertstofftonne. The same yogurt cup is a strict violation in Hessen (if you treat it as Residualmüll) and a reasonable choice in Berlin (if you put it in Gelber Sack).
Do I need to wash containers?
Not perfectly — empty and roughly rinsed (Löffelrein or Auslöffeln) is enough. Yogurt cups and Konserven go in empty. They don't need to be spotless; the recycling plant rinses them again.
What goes in the Glascontainer?
Glass bottles and glass jars, sorted by colour (Weißglas, Grünglas, Braunglas). Mirrors, window glass, ceramics, porcelain and Pyrex do not belong in the Glascontainer — they go to Restmüll or Wertstoffhof.
What about electronics and batteries?
Electronics (anything with a plug, a battery, or a screen) must go to the Wertstoffhof or a retail take-back (Elektrogesetz). Same for batteries — most supermarkets have a Batterie-Sammelbox. Throwing a battery in Restmüll is illegal under BattG.
Related tools
Müllabfuhr doesn\'t run on Sunday, but you can drop glass at the container on your way back.
Glascontainer at 23:00 = a Ruhezeit violation waiting to happen.
Maßkrug returns for Pfand — the Krug is part of the dual system too.
Old clothes don\'t go in the Wertstofftonne. Altkleider is its own stream.
Sources
- Umweltbundesamt (UBA) · Mülltrennung · Verpackungsgesetz (VerpackG)
- Duales System Deutschland (Grüner Punkt) · Gelber Sack Erklärung 2026
- Stadt Frankfurt am Main · Abfallwirtschafts-Satzung (Hessen strikt)
- Berliner Stadtreinigung (BSR) · Wertstofftonne & Restmüll Berlin
- Batteriegesetz (BattG) · Sammlung und Rücknahme
About this tool
This decoder reflects the 2026 dual-system (VerpackG) plus the major state-level bin interpretations (Hessen strict, Berlin loose). It is reference-only. For Sperrmüll, electronics and large-volume disposal, contact your local Wertstoffhof or Stadtreinigung.
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Disclaimer
Bin classifications reflect 2026 federal VerpackG plus published state/municipality interpretations. The result is an estimate of the standard placement, not a binding rule. Confirm with the label on your bin lid or your local Stadtreinigung.