Collection Systems in Slovakia 🇸🇰
About
Slovakia uses a color-coded container system with Yellow for plastics/metals/cartons, Blue for paper, Green for glass, and Brown/Green for bio-waste. A deposit return scheme operates for beverage containers. Collection methods vary by municipality.
Collection Streams
Plastics Recycling (Yellow - Often Combined with Metals + Cartons)
What goes in:
- PET bottles without deposit marking; plastic bags/films; plastic packaging from food/cosmetics/household products
What does NOT go in:
- Deposit PET bottles; heavily food-contaminated plastics; hazardous-chemical packaging (e.g., paint/motor oil); rubber; hoses; PVC flooring; many mixed-material plastic items
Notes:
- Commonly packaging-focused, but some municipalities accept certain rigid non-packaging plastics (e.g., buckets/hangers/flowerpots) — only if your local rules allow
- Avoid 'PLA/bioplastics' in plastics recycling where excluded
Paper & Cardboard (Blue)
What goes in:
- Newspapers, magazines, leaflets/catalogues; office paper, letters, envelopes, postcards; paper bags; cardboard & paper boxes/packaging
What does NOT go in:
- Dirty/wet/greasy paper; diapers & hygiene items; beverage cartons (they are a separate stream); butter wrappers
Notes:
- Keep paper clean and dry; flatten boxes
- Some municipalities give extra guidance for coated paper items (e.g., certain takeaway cups depend on material code)
Glass Recycling (Green)
What goes in:
- Non-returnable glass bottles; glass jars/compote jars; glass packaging from cosmetics/coffee etc.; glass vases; (often accepted) small fragments of flat glass
What does NOT go in:
- Dirty glass; mirrors; car glass; wired/reinforced glass; porcelain & ceramics; glass combined with other materials; light bulbs
Notes:
- Remove plastic lids/caps; empty containers
- Flat glass acceptance can vary—if unsure, use a collection yard
Beverage Cartons (Orange or Yellow Combined)
What goes in:
- Empty beverage cartons: milk/cream cartons, juice cartons, wine cartons, similar composite drink cartons
What does NOT go in:
- Cartons with non-removable heavy contamination; cartons contaminated by hazardous substances; other mixed materials where paper predominates but aren't beverage cartons
Notes:
- Typically: empty and flatten; many municipalities collect cartons together with plastics + metal packaging (yellow)
Kitchen Bio-waste (Brown) - Where Provided
What goes in:
- Food/kitchen scraps: plant leftovers, leftovers from meals, fruit/veg peels, coffee grounds, tea, eggshells; expired food/bread; (in some systems) meat and small bones
What does NOT go in:
- Oils/fats; liquids; garden waste (if collected separately); packaging; non-certified plastic bags; 'PLA' compostable cups/food packaging where excluded; pet waste; diapers; cigarette butts; vacuum dust; medicines
Notes:
- Municipal variation is material here: some cities run full food-waste collection (incl. animal-origin food), others are more restrictive
- Some municipalities can claim exemptions from separate kitchen bio-waste collection (e.g., high home-composting rates/technical issues)
Sources:
Residual Waste (Black/Grey)
What goes in:
- The remainder that cannot be sorted: dirty/mouldy/greasy paper; meat polystyrene trays; non-compostable bags; vacuum cleaner contents; animal droppings; diapers/sanitary products; small rubber/silicone items
What does NOT go in:
- Separated recyclables (paper/glass/plastics/metals/cartons); bio-waste (where collected); bulky waste; hazardous waste; batteries/WEEE
Notes:
- Use residual only for what cannot go to recycling/bio-waste
- Bulky items should go to a collection yard
Sources:
Deposit Return Scheme (DRS)
What goes in:
- PET drink bottles (P, deposit) 0.1–3 L, marked with 'Z' + 'ZÁLOHOVANÉ'; metal drink cans (P, deposit) 0.1–3 L with the same marking
What does NOT go in:
- Drink containers without the deposit marking; milk & milk-based drinks, syrups, >15% alcohol drinks (not in the deposit system)
Notes:
- Do not put deposit containers in recycling bins (they belong to the deposit system)
- Typically must be returned with label/barcode readable (don't crush excessively)
Sources:
What Gets Collected
Accepted Items
- • Packaging materials (varies by stream)
- • Empty and clean containers
- • Material-specific items
Not Accepted
- • Non-packaging items
- • Contaminated materials
- • Hazardous containers with contents
Regional Variations
Collection systems in Slovakia may vary by municipality or region. Local sorting capabilities, collection infrastructure, and acceptance criteria can differ significantly even within the same country.
Important Notes
A deposit return scheme (DRS) operates for beverage containers—don't put deposit containers in recycling bins
Bio-waste collection varies significantly by municipality—some exclude meat/dairy/oils, others accept them
Collection methods vary by municipality—always check local guidance
The packaging-only rule is important for plastic and metal streams
Sources
Collection system information is based on national and regional guidelines. For the most current and location-specific information, consult local waste management authorities.