Rubbish collection and recycling in Malaga
Malaga operates a well-organised system for waste collection and recycling that keeps the streets clean whilst minimising environmental impact.
The city’s approach to waste management differs from many Northern European destinations in one important way.
Rather than collecting rubbish directly from outside your home, residents take their waste to designated containers positioned throughout the city.
These containers appear every couple of blocks, making them easily accessible for everyone.
This system prevents unsightly piles of rubbish from accumulating on streets, which becomes particularly important during Malaga’s hot summers when waste can quickly attract rats and cockroaches.
Understanding Malaga’s recycling container system
The city uses five distinct container types for sorting different materials, each marked by a specific colour:
- Black = general waste. The black containers are for general household waste that cannot be recycled. This includes items such as non-recyclable plastics, non-reusable materials, hygiene products and other miscellaneous waste.
- Brown = organic. Brown containers are used for organic waste, such as food scraps, peels and other biodegradable materials. This waste is collected separately for composting purposes.
- Yellow = plastics. These containers are designated for plastic waste, including bottles, containers and packaging made of plastic.
- Blue = paper and cardboard. The blue containers are specifically for paper waste. This includes newspapers, cardboard, magazines and other paper-based materials.
- Green = glass. Glass containers are typically green and are designed for all types of glass products (not ceramic), such as bottles and jars.
When to deposit rubbish in Malaga
Following designated collection times helps maintain clean and hygienic streets throughout the city.
Residents should deposit their rubbish in the appropriate containers between 9pm and 11pm whenever possible.
This evening timeframe minimises the risk of unpleasant odours and reduces the likelihood of pest infestations developing during the day.
Disposing of furniture and large items in Malaga
If you have large items of furniture that you need to dispose of, Malaga’s rubbish collection system also accommodates this.
You can leave large furniture pieces next to the black containers, but only on the day and time shown on the attached sticker.
This sticker system ensures that bulky items receive proper collection and disposal, preventing them from becoming an eyesore in public spaces.
Special waste disposal options in Malaga
Nowadays, each district of the city has a special street-side punto limpio (see where here). At these locations, you can drop off items such as used oil, books, batteries, coffee pods, printer ink cartridges, old appliances and more.
However, if there’s not one close by, or if you have a large amount of waste to dispose of, you can deposit it at one of the two waste disposal centres (punto limpio fijo).
These can be found at:
- Calle Hermanas Bronte, 87 (on the Guadalhorce industrial estate)
- Calle Werther s/n (in Las Virreinas)
The opening hours are from 7am to 9pm from Monday to Saturday and from 7.30am to 2.30pm on Sundays and public holidays.
In summer, until 14 September, they operate reduced timetables.
Daryl is the co-founder of Malaga Guru. He is a copywriter, editor and translator who moved to Malaga a decade ago having first fallen in love with the city on his Erasmus year. After working for many years at local expat newspaper SUR in English, Daryl gained expert knowledge in life from the perspective of foreign residents and decided to co-found this site in 2016.