A container that is too small fills up quickly, while one that is too big takes up space and costs more. The good news – you can work out the right size in a few minutes. The three key factors are: how many people will use the container, how often it will be emptied and whether waste is sorted.
The amount of waste depends heavily on lifestyle, so the most accurate way is to track how many bags you take out over a few weeks. For example, if you produce three 60 l bags of mixed waste a week, that's about 180 l per week.
The collection schedule is set by your municipality or waste management company. Multiply the weekly amount by the number of weeks between collections:
Example: 180 l per week × 2 weeks = 360 l. In this case a 360 l container or two 240 l containers would suit.
Holidays, guests, renovation or garden work temporarily increase the amount of waste. Choose a container with a 10–20% margin – then the lid will always close and no bags will pile up around it.
When plastic, paper, glass and food waste are collected separately, there is much less mixed waste left. So when you sort, a smaller container is often enough for mixed waste, with separate coloured containers for sorted waste.
| Who will use it | Most common choice |
|---|---|
| 1–2 person household, garden | 120 l |
| 3–5 person family | 240 l |
| larger family, small office, café | 360 l |
| apartment building, business centre, company | 660–770 l or 1100 l |
The table is only a guide. If in doubt, write to us telling us how many people will use the container and how often it is collected – we'll help you choose. You'll find an overview of all sizes in the article Waste container sizes: 120, 240, 360, 660, 770 and 1100 l.
