Living in the eThekwini Municipality means being part of a vibrant, bustling community—but it also means managing our household waste responsibly to keep our streets clean and our environment healthy.
For many residents, the question isn’t just "when is trash day?" but rather, "which bag does this go in?" To help our community move from spectating to participating in a cleaner future, we’ve put together this quick cheat sheet on the city's color-coded bag system.
The Color Code: What Goes Where?
Using the right bags ensures that your waste is handled correctly and that recyclables actually make it to the sorting center instead of the landfill.
| Bag Color | What it’s for | Pro-Tips |
| Black Bags | General Waste | This is for your "wet" refuse: food scraps, non-recyclable packaging, and general household dust. |
| Orange Bags | Recyclables | The "clean" bag! Use this for paper, cardboard, plastic containers, cans, and polystyrene. |
| Blue/Clear Bags | Garden Refuse | For the weekend gardeners—use these for grass cuttings, leaves, and light prunings.Only bags with the DSW Logo will be picked up. They can be purchased from Spar, Checkers or Pick n Pay. |
Resident Best Practices
To make the most of our municipal services, keep these three "Golden Rules" in mind:
- Clean it Out: Before putting that plastic milk bottle or tuna tin into an Orange Bag, give it a quick rinse. This prevents pests and ensures the material is high enough quality to be recycled.
- Safety First with Glass: While glass is recyclable, putting it in bags can be dangerous for our refuse collectors if it breaks. Whenever possible, drop your glass bottles off at a local Glass Bank or recycling skip at your nearest shopping center.
- Mind the Weight: Our collectors work hard. If a garden refuse bag is too heavy for one person to lift, it’s likely to be left on the curb. Spread heavy soil or thick branches across multiple bags.
- The Cost of the blue bags pays for the removal. Please note if they DO not have the logo they will not be picked up.
Why It Matters
As we look toward the 2027 local elections and continue to hold our leadership accountable, taking pride in our immediate surroundings is the first step toward a better CommUNITY and a better eThekwini. Separating your waste isn't just a chore; it’s a way to reduce the pressure on our local landfills and keep our neighbourhood's beautiful.
Don’t spectate—participate! Next time you’re tidying up, make sure you’re reaching for the right color.