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Why Munich residents are getting yellow recycling bins for the first time

The city of Munich plans to revamp its waste collection system with the introduction of yellow bins from the beginning of 2027. This follows a pilot test in which the city's waste management company (AWM) had placed yellow bins – for collecting a mix of food packaging, metals and plastics – in certain neighbourhoods. Following positive feedback from both residents and AWM, the yellow bin system is to be implemented throughout the Bavarian capital. Perhaps more exciting than the introduction of a new bin in itself, the yellow bins are to be placed in residential buildings alongside other waste bins – so Munich residents can skip those extra trips to the city's infamous recycling islands in future. What are the yellow bins? Yellow bins, as seen in Berlin and other German cities, are for food packaging, metals and plastics. The containers themselves are often called Gelbe Tonne (yellow bin) and the stuff that goes in them is called Werbstoffe (recyclable materials). Or, more specifically, it's Verkaufsverpackungen aus Metall, Kunstoff und Verbundstoffen (sales packaging made of metal, plastic and composite materials). Much of this can be recycled, which is why it's helpful to be pre-emptively separated from the general waste. Things that belong in the yellow bin include: Beverage and milk cartons Plastic packaging (bottles, foils, bags) Plastic objects (bowls, buckets, toys) Tin cans and tubes Aluminium foil and trays Metal objects (cooking pots, pans, tools) Advertisement The end of the infamous recycling islands Waste collection in Germany is organised by local governments, so bin colours as well as the general protocol for separating and organising waste can look pretty different from region to region. Until now Munich residents have had three bins at home: Papier-Tonne (blue bin - for paper and cardboard), Bio-Tonne (brown bin - for compost) and Rest-Müll-Tonne (grey bin - for mixed waste). READ ALSO: Why you'll have to take more care sorting your biowaste in Germany from May Employees of Munich's waste management company (AWM) empty garbage cans in the early morning. In future, plastic and metal recyclables will also be collected by trucks. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Sven Hoppe This leaves glass (in three separate colours) as well as a fair amount of other plastic, metal and composite material that needed to be separated and collected elsewhere. For this purpose, Munich has set up recycling islands ( Wertstoffinseln ) where people can drop their glass and other recycling materials during daytime hours (excluding Sundays). But the recycling islands were problematic in that they smelled bad, often filled beyond capacity and created a bothersome chore for people living further from them. READ ALSO: The changes to Germany's waste and recycling rules in 2025 What do people in Munich think? Bettina Kudla, a tax consultant from Allach who took part in the yellow bin pilot test told the Münchner Merkur that using the yellow bins was a more 'consumer friendly' way to recycle. Kudla noted the distance to recycling islands was too far for some, and added that some packaging didn't fit in the opening to the old containers and often ended up 'in the residual waste, or even worse, next to the containers." Advertisement The pilot test also found that more recyclable material was collected everywhere that yellow bins were put in place. Munich's environmental department therefore suggests that the yellow bins will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. An SZ report quotes positive reactions from members of virtually all major parties in Munich, including members of the Greens, SDP, CSU, Free Voters, FDP and ÖDP - which is the Ecological Democratic Party. "The yellow bin improves the collection quality and quantity of recyclables compared to the delivery system and is very well received by the citizens," ÖDP city councillor Tobias Ruff told the South German newspaper. He says the additional bin should have no impact on waste collection fees. Munich had just increased those fees at the beginning of this year: the weekly emptying of a 120-litre container, for example, costs €440 annually. Munich's city council plans to officially decide on the introduction of yellow bins on June 5th. Vocabulary Waste bin/garbage can - die Mülltonne Yellow bin - die Gelbe Tonne Recyclables - die Werstoffe Packaging - die Verkaufsverpackung Pilot test - der Pilotversuch Cleanliness - die Sauberkeit We're aiming to help our readers improve their German by translating vocabulary from some of our news stories. Did you find this article useful? Let us know .