How to recycle in Barcelona? Is Barcelona a city with a recycling culture? From our experience, we would say “Yes, it is”. Recycling in Barcelona is not a rare habit among citizens and here is a fact which actually supports that statement: the first green container in Spain to recycle was placed in Barcelona. Specifically at the Plaça Sant Jaume on February 10 in 1982. And since then we believe the awareness about recycling has only increased. Not only recycling but reducing our plastic waste (and there sure is still a lot of work ahead).
Recycling in Barcelona has its own OST: “Envàs, on vas?”
Container, where are you going? This has been one of the most popular advertising campaigns promoted by the Catalan government with the aim of raising awareness about recycling. The Mamzelles were the music group who starred at this famous advertising which indicated in which coloured bin each package should be thrown:
And since it might look a bit confusing at first to figure out which bin is the indicated, here is a brief guide on recycling in Barcelona (and survive when package classifying for the first time).
How to recycle in Barcelona: color bins
Why do we say that? Because you will throw your waste on different colored bins depending on the item’s nature.
Recycling color bins in Barcelona
So to ensure that you won’t stare at those bins on the street without knowing exactly what to do, here we share this useful information:
Yellow recycling bins
Plastics, cans and cartons which can be recycled. Examples: water bottles, plastic bags, yogurt containers, beverage cans, Tetra briks. Items which cannot be recycled: toys, tubes, videotapes and CDs, packaging from dangerous products (solvent or paint).
Green recycling bins
Glass items which can be recycled. Glass items which can be recycled. Examples: glass containers and bottles.
Blue recycling bins
Paper and cardboards items which can be recycled. Examples: package and cardboard boxes, newspapers, magazines, envelopes, paper bags.
Brown recycled bins
Organic waste items which can’t be recycled. Examples: leftover meat, fish, bread, vegetables, egg shells, tea bags.
Grey bins
Other waste items which can’t be recycled. Examples: cigarette butts, sanitary towels, diapers, sweeping debris, cotton, used pens and pencils.
Punts verds (green points)
Punts verds, which means “Green points”, are neighborhood recycling centers where specific items should be thrown: wood remains, CDs, cartons with toxic materials, clothing.
How to recycle in Barcelona old furniture and household appliances
If you are replacing your living furniture and don’t know exactly what to do with the old furniture, here is what you need to know: there is a free special public service to pick up those kinds of items. You should leave them on the street right in front of your building gate on a specific day of the week (it varies depending on the street) where they will be picked up between 8pm and 10pm.
