See the most important Danish waste categories and how correct sorting helps materials move on to recycling.

Click a waste category to read more about it.












Residual waste is what remains after reuse, recycling, food waste, hazardous waste, electronics and special schemes have been sorted out. It should be used as the last option.
Hygiene waste, vacuum cleaner bags, very dirty packaging, small composite items and waste without a recycling option can typically go in residual waste.
Residual waste is normally sent for incineration. Recyclable materials and hazardous waste should therefore be sorted out so resources are used and harmful substances are handled correctly.
Danish municipalities may have different rules for ash, sharp objects, ceramics, porcelain, hygiene waste, small combustible waste and items too large for the residual-waste bin. Find your municipality.
Residual waste is the waste that remains when recyclable, reusable, hazardous and special waste has been sorted out. It is for items that do not fit into the other Danish waste categories or cannot currently be recycled through normal household schemes.
Residual waste is usually sent for incineration with energy recovery. It should therefore be used only when the item cannot be sorted into a more specific category. Hazardous waste, batteries, electronics, glass, metal, paper, cardboard and food waste should not be placed in residual waste when a separate sorting option exists.
Residual waste is waste that cannot be reused, recycled or delivered through a special scheme. It is what remains after the other fractions have been sorted out.
Residual waste is typically sent for incineration, where the energy is used for electricity and heating. Reuse and recycling are still better whenever possible.
No. Batteries can create fire risk and contain harmful substances. They must be delivered through the battery scheme, hazardous-waste box or recycling centre.
Small amounts may go in residual waste in some municipalities, but larger amounts often belong at a recycling centre. They must not be sorted as glass.
Only if it is completely cold, packed safely and allowed by the municipality. Hot ash can create a fire risk.
Air filter
Air fryer paper liner
Air mattress
Aluminium tray
Animal excrement
Artificial nails
Ash
Backpack
Bag with dog waste
Bag-in-box wine
Bakery bag
Baking paper
Baking soda paper bag
Balloon
Ballpoint pen
Bamboo
Bandage
Barbecue ash
Barbecue charcoal
Barbie doll
Basketball
Bath mat
Bath soap
Bath sponge
Bead
Beard hair
Bicycle helmet
Bicycle pump
Big bag
Biobag
Bird fat balls in net
Blender glass jug
Blister pack
Blood pressure cuff
Blu-ray disc
Body hair
Bouncy ball
Boxed wine packaging
Bread bag
Bread clip
Broken glass
Broken pottery
Broom handle
Broom shrub
Brush
Bubble wrap envelope
Butter packaging
Cactus
Cake box
Candle
Candle stub
Candle wax
Candlestick
Candy wrapper
Capri-Sun pouch
Car mat
Caramel wrapper
Carbon filter
Carbon paper
Cardboard
Cardboard packaging
Cash receipt
Cassette tape
Cat faeces
Cat food pouch
Cat hair
Cat litter
Cat tray litter
Catheter
CD
Cellophane
Cellulose insulation
Ceramic
Ceramic cup
Ceramic shards
Chalk
Chamois cloth
Champagne cork
Charcoal
Cheese rind
Chewing gum
Chimney soot
Chocolate bar paper wrapper
Chocolate wrapper
Chopstick
Christmas bauble
Christmas wrapping paper
Cigar
Cigarette
Cigarette butt
Cigarette pack
Cigarette paper
Cleaning cloth
Cleaning glove
Cleaning sponge
Cling film
Clogs
Clothes peg
Clothesline
Cocktail stick
Coffee
Coffee bag
Coffee capsule
Coffee cup
Coffee mug
Coffee pot
Collar
Colostomy bag
Coloured pencil
Condom
Condom wrapper
Contact lenses
Copy carbon paper
Cork
Cork stopper
Cosmetics
Cotton bud
Cotton pads
Cotton wool
Cotton wool pad
COVID test
Cream tub
Credit card
Creme fraiche tub
Crisps bag
Crisps tube
Crushed glass
Cutlery with wooden handle
Damp clothes
Dead animal
Dead bird
Dead mole
Dead rabbit
Debit card
Dental floss
Denture
Diaper
Dice
Dietary supplements
Dirty paper
Dirty plastic
Discarded shoe
Dish brush
Dish sponge
Dishcloth
Dishwasher salt
Disposable cloth
Disposable cup
Disposable face mask
Disposable glove
Disposable plastic tableware
Disposable razor
Dog faeces
Dog food
Dog hair
Dog leash
Dog poop bag
Dog waste bag
Doll
Doormat
Drinking glass
Dryer lint
Duct tape
Dumbbell
Dust
Dust mask
DVD
Earplugs
Earthenware pottery
Egg tray
Elastic band
Elastic cord
Electrical conduit
Empty tube packaging
EPS foam
Eyeliner
Eyeshadow
Face cream
Face mask
Facial tissue
Faeces
False eyelashes
Feather
Felt-tip pen
Fibre concrete
Fibreglass wallpaper
Fidget spinner
Filter bag
Fireworks
Fishing rod
Flexible pipe
Flip-flop
Floor drain sludge
Floppy disk
Floppy diskette
Floral foam
Foam ball
Foam board
Foam cleaning cloth
Foam cloth
Foam cushion
Foam meat tray
Foam plastic
Foam rubber
Foam tray
Foam wrap
Folding ruler
Food wrapping paper
Foot file
Foot scraper
Football
Frozen food bag
Fruit net
Fur
Fuse beads
Garden fleece fabric
Garden hose spray gun
Gardening gloves
Gauze
Gauze bandage
Gift ribbon
Gift wrap
Glasses
Glasses case
Glasses frame
Glasses wipe
Glitter
Glitter paper
Glove
Glow stick
Glue stick
Golf ball
Gramophone record
Grass clippings
Grinding stone
Guitar string
Gypsum plaster
Hair
Hair tie
Hair wax
Hairbrush
Hand soap
Handball
Hard plastic
Hay
Health insurance card
Heat pack
Hedgehog carcass
Horse droppings
Human faeces
Hygiene waste
Ice cream stick
Ice cream wrapper
Impregnated textile
Inhaler
Instant coffee pouch
Insulated cup
Insulated glass
Interleaving paper
Japanese knotweed
Jigsaw puzzle
Joint butt
Kitchen roll
Kitchen roll paper
Kleenex tissue
Knee pad
Krenit bowl
Label sticker
Laminated paper
Lampshade
Large plastic sack
Latex clothing
Latex condom
Latex glove
Leather clothing
Leather shoes
Leaves
LEGO bricks
Limescale filter
Lint
Lint roller
Lint roller sheet
Lip balm
Lipstick
Liver pate tray
Lollipop
Magnetic stripe card
Makeup remover
Margrethe mixing bowl
Marker pen
Mascara
Match
Matchbox
Melamine
Menstrual cup
Microfiber cloth
Microfibre cleaning cloth
Microwave popcorn bag
Milk slice snack
Miniature figure
Modelling clay
Moist wipe
Mosquito net
Mouldy clothes
Mouse carcass
Mucus
Muffin case
Mug
Musical birthday card
Mussel shell
Nail brush
Nail clipping
Nail file
Napkin
Nasal spray
NemID code card
New Year party hat
Nicorette ampoule
Nicotine pouch
Nicotine pouches
Nitrile glove
Nursing pad
Office folder
Oil canister
Overtrousers
Ovulation test
Oyster shell
Pacifier
Packing tape
Padded envelope
Paint brush
Paint roller
Painter’s tape
Panty liner
Paper cup
Paper from meat tray
Paper plate
Paper tissue
Paper towel
Papier-mache
Paraffin
Parchment paper
Passport
Payment card
Payment card with chip
Peanut bag
Pencil
Pencil lead
Pepper grinder
Pet bedding
Pet faeces
Pet food sack
Pet hair
Pet litter
Pet waste
Phone case
Photo negatives
Photo paper
Photograph
Picture album
Picture frame
Picture frame glass
Pill packaging
Pin
Pipe cleaner
Pipe tobacco
Pizza box
Pizza carton
Placemat
Plastic bag
Plastic bag clip
Plastic bucket
Plastic doll
Plastic drinking cup
Plastic food container
Plastic sheet
Plastic toy without electronics
Plastic-coated cardboard
Playing cards
Plunger
Pocket tissue
Polycarbonate
Polystyrene
Polystyrene beads
Polystyrene packaging
Popcorn bag
Porcelain
Porcelain shards
Postcard
Pot lid
Pot sponge
Pregnancy test
Price tag
Pringles tube
Protective covering paper
Protein powder
Pubic hair
Pumice stone
PVC material
Rabbit cage
Rabbit droppings
Rainwear
Razor
Razor blade
Receipt
Record sleeve
Reflective band
Removable adhesive putty
Resistance band
Riding helmet
Roll-on deodorant
Roller blind
Rope
Rotten wood
Rubber band
Rubber boots
Rubber eraser
Rubber glove
Rubber sole
Ruler
Rye bread bag clip
Salmon packaging
Salt grinder
Sandpaper
Sanitary pad
Sanitary towel
Sausage casing
Sausage packaging
Sawdust
Scented candle
Scouring sponge
Scratch card
Scratch-off Christmas calendar
Semen
Senseo coffee pad
Sewing thread
Sex toy without batteries
Sheep wool
Shin guard
Shoe insole
Shoe sole
Shotgun cartridge
Silica gel
Silicone
Silicone baking mould
Silk ribbon
Skyr tub
Sleeping mat
Slime toy
Slug
Smoking pipe
Snail
Snowsuit
Soap
Soap container
Soap flakes
Soft plastic packaging
Soft soap
Soft toy
Soot
Sparkler
Spiral-bound yearly calendar
Squeegee
Steel wool
Sticker
Stoma bag
Stones
Store receipt
Straw hat
Strawberry tray
Stress ball
String
Stuffed toy
Styrofoam
Suction cup
Sugar bag
Sunglasses
Sunscreen
Surfboard
Swab stick
Sweepings
Sweet wrapper
Table firework
Table tennis ball
Takeaway food box
Talcum powder
Tampon
Tape
Tarpaulin
Tealight
Tennis ball
Test strips
Thai food carton
Thermal mug
Thermal paper
Thermos flask
Tinsel
Tissue
Tobacco
Tobacco pipe
Toilet block
Toilet brush
Toilet paper
Toilet roll tube
Tooth
Toothbrush
Toothbrush head
Toothpaste
Toothpaste tube
Toothpick
Toy shaker
Trading card
Travel card
Twine
Urine bag
Vacuum cleaner bag
Vacuum cleaner filter
Velcro
Velcro strip
VHS cassette
VHS tape
Video tape
Vinyl glove
Vinyl LP
Vinyl record
Vitamin tablet
Vomit
Wall-to-wall carpet
Wallpaper
Washcloth
Washing powder in cardboard packaging
Waste sack
Watch strap
Water filter
Water-repellent jacket
Water-repellent textile
Wet cardboard
Wet clothes
Wet paper
Wet wipe
Wet-strength paper
Wild oat
Windscreen wiper
Wine carton
Wine gum sweets
Wine pouch
Wood chips
Wood fibre board
Wood shavings
Wood wool
Wooden crate
Wooden cutlery
Wooden cutting board
Wooden toothpick
Yoga mat
Zinc ointment
Ziplock bag