What to put in the black bin? Guide to the correct separation of mixed waste

The black bin is for mixed waste. However, the question arises as to what exactly to put in it, since a large proportion of household waste is disposed of in the yellow, green or blue bin?

The black bin should contain mixed waste, i.e. waste that cannot be recycled. Waste that cannot be sorted in such a way that it can be reused. Quite often, this includes multi-material products - but not exclusively.

What should go in the black container?

Did you know that.

that the strip from the gleukometer should be disposed of in the black container? This waste has come into contact with blood and therefore cannot be disposed of in any container other than black for safety reasons. This is in line with waste separation guidelines and the recommendations of the manufacturers of the gleukometers.

Broken glass, mirror or porcelain should also go into a black container. This is common knowledge, which surprises less and less anymore.

However, there are wastes that are rarely mentioned and segregating them can be quite a challenge. See if you knew that this waste should go in the black bin:

• used lighter - very important to make sure it is empty before throwing it away. A lighter that contains gas is hazardous waste. If you decide to dispose of a lighter with a gas content, be sure to take it to a municipal waste collection point.
• contributions to candles - traditional candle refills are soiled with wax and are therefore not suitable for further processing.
• written out with a marker - consists of several different materials that are almost impossible to separate. Consequently, multi-material waste is not recyclable.
• ear stoppers - are made of materials that cannot be recycled. Hygienic considerations are also important here. Stoppers come into direct contact with the human body and can sometimes be contaminated with earwax. Hence, the black container is the only valid container for this waste.
• chocolate wrapper - is a multilayer material that consists of plastic and aluminium foil. The combination of these materials is not recyclable under standard conditions.

What else is worth remembering? The black bin is also a good place to dispose of meat, fish and animal waste, soiled and wet paper, used tissues and receipts.

Treatment of mixed waste

It is good to know that mixed waste is treated. How they are processed depends on the available technology and infrastructure. There are two main methods of waste management:

• mechanical-biological treatment (MBP): During this process, waste is sorted on special sorting lines. Reusable materials are separated and sent to recyclers. The remaining waste is converted into RDF alternative fuel, which can be used in industrial processes such as cement production.
• thermal treatment of waste (incineration): The waste is incinerated in special plants, allowing energy to be recovered in the form of heat and electricity. Incineration residues such as ash are sent to landfills, while the resulting slag can be used, for example in road construction.