Pizza boxes, yoghurt lids, or aluminium foil – tips for correct waste separation

Does the pizza box go into paper recycling? Should jam jars be rinsed before throwing them away? And where does the yoghurt lid belong? German data shows that up to 40% of what ends up in recycling bins is actually residual waste, making proper sorting crucial. Luxembourg's system has its own rules, and following them ensures recyclable materials don't go to waste.

Pizza boxes, frozen food boxes, and egg cartons

If there are only a few grease stains, pizza boxes can go into the blue paper bin. Boxes with heavy cheese or food residues, however, should go into the black trash bin. Frozen food boxes are usually recyclable as paper if the manufacturer indicates this, since the thin coating separates during recycling. Egg cartons also go into the blue bin, unless heavily soiled.

Drink cartons and coffee-to-go cups

Milk and juice cartons, as well as disposable cups, are made of several layers: cardboard, plastics, and sometimes aluminium. Because of this mix, they do not belong in the paper bin but in the Valorlux blue bag.

Only part of these materials can currently be recovered. Cardboard fibres are recyclable, but separating them from plastic and aluminium is complex. Some facilities can also strip the plastic lining from coffee cups to reuse the paper fibres, but this remains limited. Correct disposal still increases the chances that recyclable parts are recovered.

Receipts

White thermal paper receipts always go in the black bin. They contain chemical colour developers that make the writing appear and can pollute recycled paper and water systems.

Cheese and cold meat packaging

Packaging often consists of two types of plastic: the tray, usually made of easily recyclable PET or PP, and the top film, often made of several plastics. To allow sorting systems to work correctly, the tray and film should be separated and placed in the Valorlux blue bag.

Yoghurt pots

The aluminium lid should be removed, folded and placed in the Valorlux blue bag. Stacked yoghurt pots should be separated before being placed in the Valorlux blue bag, as sorting systems cannot split them automatically.

Glass bottles and jam jars

In Luxembourg, bottles and jars belong in the brown glass bin. They should be empty and, if possible, quickly rinsed, with lids or caps removed and placed in the Valorlux bag.

Only packaging glass such as drink bottles and food jars is accepted; items like mirrors, ceramics, porcelain, lightbulbs, Pyrex, or window glass are not recyclable and must go in the black bin or taken to a recycling centre.

Inlays from packaged fresh meat

For hygiene reasons, the absorbent pads in fresh meat packs belong in the black bin.

Compost

The green bin is used for organic waste such as fruit and vegetable peelings, garden clippings, coffee grounds, tea bags and small amounts of food waste. Meat, fish, bones, cooked food, and pet waste should not go in the compost bin, as they attract vermin and do not compost well.

Frying fat

In Luxembourg, you should never pour used cooking oil down the drain or put it in the bin. Instead, let it cool and pour it into a sealable container, such as the original bottle or a plastic canister. You can then take it to a SuperDrecksKëscht mobile collection point, the City of Luxembourg Resource Centre, or your local recycling park.

Some communes provide yellow canisters for oil collection, but if yours doesn’t, any strong bottle will work. The collected oil is then recycled or treated safely.

Old clothes

Since 2025, textiles must be collected separately in Luxembourg. Old clothing and other textiles should be placed in textile collection containers. However, heavily soiled or unusable clothing may still be disposed of in the black bin.