Brown Bin or Green Bin? Disposing of Compostable Packaging in Ireland
The DiscountTillRolls.ie TeamCertified compostable packaging goes in the brown (food waste) bin, not the green (recycling) bin. Ireland's official MyWaste guidance says compostable packaging and takeaway items such as cups, bowls and cutlery can go in the brown bin, and points to the EN 13432 "seedling" logo as the mark to look for. Compostable items in the green bin contaminate the recycling. Anything that is only "biodegradable", or a paper cup with a plastic lining, is not compostable and should not go in the brown bin.
For businesses, the golden rule is to check what your own waste collector accepts, because commercial services vary. Here is how to get it right.
In this guide
- Which bin does compostable packaging go in?
- How do I know if packaging is really compostable?
- Is biodegradable the same as compostable?
- Home compostable or industrial compostable?
- What should a food business do?
- FAQ
Which bin does compostable packaging go in?
| Item | Bin |
|---|---|
| Certified compostable cups, bowls, boxes and cutlery (EN 13432) | Brown |
| Food scraps, plate scrapings, food-soiled napkins and pizza boxes | Brown |
| Clean, dry cardboard and paper | Green (recycling) |
| Clean aluminium foil trays and drinks cans | Green (recycling) |
| Standard paper cups with a plastic (PE) lining | Not brown. Check your collector, usually general waste |
| "Biodegradable" items with no compostable certification | Not brown. Usually general waste |
One more tip from the MyWaste guidance: food must be taken out of its packaging before it goes in the brown bin, unless the packaging itself is compostable.
Open kraft trays for chips and street food. About 8.7 cent a tray.
How do I know if packaging is really compostable?
Look for certification, not just a word on the box. The main standard in Europe is EN 13432, which confirms a material breaks down in industrial composting within a set time without leaving harmful residues. The "seedling" logo is the most common mark showing that certification.
Green colours, leaf pictures and words like "eco" or "natural" prove nothing on their own. If a product says compostable, the supplier should be able to show you the certificate.
Is biodegradable the same as compostable?
No, and it is one of the most common mix-ups. "Biodegradable" only means a material will break down eventually, with no set time or conditions. That could take years, and it may leave fragments behind. "Compostable" is a tested claim: it breaks down into compost within a defined period in the right conditions.
From 27 September 2026, new EU rules on green claims to consumers make vague terms like this riskier to use on menus and packaging, so it pays to be precise. Our latte levy and single-use plastics guide covers that in more detail.
What is the difference between home and industrial compostable?
- Industrial compostable items need the higher, controlled temperatures of a commercial composting facility. This is what EN 13432 covers, and it is what the brown bin collection feeds into.
- Home compostable items break down at the lower temperatures of a garden compost heap. They carry separate certification.
Both are fine in the brown bin. Only home compostable items are suitable for a garden compost heap. We cover this for cups in home compostable coffee cups.
Double wall cups with an aqueous lining in place of plastic.
What should a food business do?
- Ask your waste collector in writing whether their commercial brown bin service accepts certified compostable packaging. Most do, but some do not.
- Label your bins clearly for staff and customers: food and compostables, recycling, and general waste.
- Do not mix packaging types on one line. If your cups are compostable but your lids are plastic, customers will get it wrong. Match them.
- Keep the certificates for any product you describe as compostable to customers.
- Tell customers what to do. A small line on a sign or box, such as "Compostable: brown bin", does a lot of good.
Frequently asked questions
Can compostable cups go in the brown bin in Ireland?
Yes, certified compostable cups can go in the brown bin according to MyWaste guidance. Standard paper cups with a plastic lining cannot.
Can compostable packaging go in the green recycling bin?
No. Compostable packaging contaminates the recycling stream. It belongs in the brown bin.
What does the seedling logo mean?
It shows the product is certified compostable to the European standard EN 13432.
Is biodegradable packaging compostable?
Not necessarily. Biodegradable has no set timeframe or conditions. Only items certified compostable should go in the brown bin.
Can greasy pizza boxes go in the brown bin?
Yes. MyWaste lists food-soiled pizza boxes as suitable for the brown bin.
Compostable takeaway packaging, delivered.
Cups, containers, trays and cutlery, dispatched same day from Dublin 12 when you order before 1pm.
Shop compostable containers →General information only. Always check what your own waste collector accepts.