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Using a bottle bank
- Store glass at home until you can make a trip.
- Load heavy bottles and jars into the car.
- Sort by clear, green and brown where banks require it.
- Risk arriving when the bank is busy or overflowing.
Glass Bin Collection in Ireland: What Actually Happens to Your Glass
There is no standard glass wheelie bin in the Irish household bin system. Here is where glass is supposed to go, why the green bin is not it, and how doorstep collection works if you would rather not drive to a bottle bank.
Short answer: most Irish households do not have a glass bin. The standard kerbside setup is a general waste bin, a mixed dry recycling bin and, in many areas, a brown organic bin — glass is not part of it.
MyWaste, the national waste guidance service, lists glass bottles and jars as a bottle bank item. So the options are a bottle bank, a recycling centre, or a doorstep glass collection service.
Source: MyWaste.ie — Glass. Some providers offer separate glass services in some areas, so it is worth checking with your own bin company as well.
Which Bin Does Glass Go In?
None of the standard household bins. This is the part that catches people out, because glass is obviously recyclable — it just is not recycled through the kerbside bin system.
Green / recycling bin — no
Glass breaks in the lorry and the shards contaminate paper and cardboard, which makes the whole load harder to recycle. Bin companies ask you to keep glass out.
General waste bin — no
It works, but the glass goes to landfill or incineration. Glass can be recycled over and over without losing quality, so this wastes it.
Brown / organic bin — no
Food and garden waste only. Glass contaminates the compost stream.
Bottle bank, recycling centre or collection — yes
Bottle banks and recycling centres are free. A doorstep collection costs a monthly fee and removes the trip.
Does My Bin Company Collect Glass?
Usually not as part of the standard three-bin service. A small number of providers offer a separate glass box or bag in some areas, and availability varies by provider, by area and by plan — so the reliable answer is to ask your own bin company directly.
If the answer is no, or the service is not offered where you live, a dedicated glass collection works alongside your existing bins rather than replacing them. You keep your normal provider and add glass on top.
Add Glass Collection to Your Existing Bins
GlassBag collects bottles and jars from the doorstep across all Dublin postcodes, North Wicklow, North Kildare and South Meath. Check your Eircode for your route and next collection date.
All Dublin postcodes North Wicklow North Kildare South Meath
4.9/5 from 223+ reviews Annual €7.99/mo Monthly €9.99/mo Once-off €15
Check Your Eircode See Plans from €7.99/month Check Collection Dates
Use the Eircode checker on this page for route coverage, then choose annual, monthly or once-off collection.
How a Glass Collection Works
You get a reusable bag instead of a wheelie bin — glass is heavy, and a bin full of it is not something most people can move. You fill the bag with bottles and jars, all colours mixed, leave it out on your collection day, and it is swapped for an empty one.
Collections run monthly on a fixed route day, with a text before each one. Annual, monthly and once-off options are on the pricing page, and you can see route days on the collection calendar.
Bottle Bank or Doorstep Collection?
If you drive, live near a bank that is rarely full, and do not get through much glass, a bottle bank is free and hard to beat. Doorstep collection is for the households where that trip keeps not happening.
Using GlassBag
- Glass bottles and jars collected from your doorstep.
- No colour sorting needed for GlassBag collection.
- Text reminders before your scheduled collection.
- Plans from €7.99/month or €15 once-off.
Glass Bin FAQ
Is there a glass bin in Ireland?
Not as a standard household bin. The usual kerbside setup is general waste, mixed dry recycling and, in many areas, a brown organic bin. MyWaste lists glass bottles and jars as a bottle-bank item, so glass is handled through bottle banks, recycling centres or a dedicated collection service instead.
Can I put glass in the recycling bin?
No. Glass breaks during collection and the shards contaminate paper and cardboard in the same load, which is why bin companies ask for it to be kept out of the green bin.
Is there a glass bin collection near me?
GlassBag collects household glass across all Dublin postcodes, North Wicklow, North Kildare and South Meath. Coverage runs by route rather than by county, so the Eircode check above confirms whether your street is covered and shows your next collection date. There is more detail on glass collection near me.
Do I get a bin or a bag?
A reusable bag. A wheelie bin full of glass is too heavy to move safely, so the bag is sized to stay liftable. It lives by your door and is swapped for an empty one at each collection.
Does it replace my normal bin service?
No. It runs alongside whatever bin provider you already use — you are adding glass, not switching supplier.
Can GlassBag collect this?
If it is bottles or jars, the next step is your Eircode
GlassBag collects household glass bottles, jars and carefully handled broken bottle or jar glass in covered areas. Check your route first, then choose annual, monthly or once-off collection.