🇳🇴 Never miss bin day again

Never forget collection day again – your municipality's collection calendar

BinMinder reminds you when to put the bin out, whether you live in Oslo, Bergen or a small rural municipality.

In Norway, the municipality or an intermunicipal company such as Renovasjon in Bergen, IVAR in Rogaland or BIR in western Norway is responsible for waste collection. Bin names, colours and collection frequencies therefore vary from one municipality to another. Oslo, for example, uses green bags for food waste and blue bags for plastic packaging, which are placed in bins for collection, while other municipalities use coloured bins instead.

Sorting waste at source is required by law and standard practice in most households. Residual waste, food waste, paper and cardboard, plastic packaging, and glass and metal packaging must be separated at home. Food waste is often converted into biogas and biofertiliser, while paper and plastic are recycled into new materials. Glass and metal usually have to be taken to local collection points or the gjenvinningsstasjon recycling centre, sometimes using a local service called the bobilen or a neighbourhood mini recycling station.

Collection is typically every two to four weeks, depending on the waste stream and municipality. Food waste is collected most often, commonly fortnightly, while residual waste and paper may be collected every two to four weeks. Norway also has a deposit-return scheme: return eligible bottles and cans through a machine in a shop and receive the deposit directly. BinMinder alerts you on the evening before collection day so that the bin or bag is ready when the collection vehicle arrives.

• Check your municipality's collection calendar. Many municipalities have their own apps or text-message services, while BinMinder brings the schedules together in one place.
• In Oslo, tie the green food-waste bag and blue plastic-packaging bag securely and put them in the bin. Do not overfill them.
• Remember that glass and metal packaging is not collected from your home. Find your nearest collection point, often beside a shop or petrol station.
• In winter, make sure the bin is accessible and clear of snow and ice, or it may not be emptied.

What is tømmedag, and how do I find mine?

Tømmedag is the day the collection vehicle takes your waste. It varies by street and waste stream. Find yours in the municipality's collection calendar, or let BinMinder remind you automatically the evening before.

What happens to my food waste?

Food waste is collected separately and sent to a biogas plant, where it becomes biogas, including fuel for buses in Oslo, and biofertiliser for agriculture. This is why plastic must not go in the food-waste bag.

Can I put glass bottles in residual waste?

No. Take glass and metal packaging to a collection point or recycling centre. Return deposit-bearing bottles and cans in a shop instead of throwing them away.

What should I do with large waste that does not fit in the bin?

Take bulky waste such as furniture and white goods to a recycling centre. Many municipalities also offer bulky-waste collection for a fee; check the municipal website.

Everything you need for bin day