How to maintain your home and recycle your waste
Residents in Luxembourg maintain their homes. In fact, it is a legal requirement. As a result, they also generate a lot of waste.
Maintaining Your Home in Luxembourg
Maintaining your home is a legal obligation in Luxembourg, whether you are a homeowner or a tenant. The tenant is responsible for minor maintenance repairs related to daily use. On the other hand, the landlord must provide a home that is in good condition and safe to live in. All major repairs are the landlord’s responsibility.
Tenant’s Obligation to Maintain Their Home in Luxembourg
In addition to paying rent on time, the tenant must ensure the daily upkeep of the home, including:
- regular cleaning of the property
- ensuring locks work properly
- replacing burnt-out light bulbs
- annual maintenance of the boiler by a certified service provider.
At the end of the lease, the tenant must return the property in a clean condition, excluding normal wear and tear. This applies in particular to paintwork, for which normal “wear and tear” is tolerated.
When the tenant moves out, the landlord may require that the property be returned to a condition strictly identical to that of the initial inspection.
This means that the tenant must repair any holes in the walls or floor, as well as restore any other damage to the property.
In short, any decorative work or modifications to the property carried out by the tenant must be authorized in advance by the landlord.
In the event of a dispute upon moving out, the landlord may withhold the security deposit paid at the start of the lease. Every year, Luxembourg courts handle numerous disputes between landlords and tenants.
See our guide to renting a home in Luxembourg.
Landlord’s Obligations Toward the Tenant
The landlord must provide the tenant with a safe, sanitary, and functional dwelling that does not endanger the safety or health of the occupants. The landlord is responsible for bringing the property up to code, repairing defective parts, and addressing damage resulting from an incident.
Structural repairs involving significant expenses are also the landlord’s responsibility. However, agreements may be negotiated between the two parties, such as a rent reduction.
Hiring cleaning staff to maintain your home
To maintain your home, you can hire cleaning staff directly. Employers of domestic staff must comply with Luxembourg labor laws and enter into an employment contract with their domestic employee.
To maintain your home, you can also hire companies specializing in cleaning and maintenance. These companies will handle all administrative matters related to hiring the employee. They will then bill the household for cleaning or maintenance services, noting that these cleaning expenses are tax-deductible.
Mandatory Sidewalk Clearance
In Luxembourg, residents are required to maintain the sidewalks and gutters in front of their homes. These must always be clean and allow for the passage of pedestrians and any vehicles.
Therefore, residents must ensure the following:
- hedges or plants must not encroach on the sidewalk or public spaces
- fall leaves accumulated in front of their house or building must be disposed of via yard waste collection or recycling centers
- Sidewalks in front of apartment buildings or single-family homes must be cleared of snow to ensure a 1-meter-wide passageway
- In case of freezing, residents must spread a substance to prevent ice and thus slipping in front of their building. Coarse salt for de-icing is readily available at supermarkets or gas stations in winter.
If someone falls in front of your home, you will need to prove that you took the necessary steps to clear the sidewalks and prevent falls. In the event of an accident, your liability insurance may be held liable. Be sure to get adequate coverage!
If you want to maintain good relations with your neighbors, maintaining the exterior of your home is very important. Don’t leave anything lying around!
Waste Collection and Sanitation Services
When you register as a resident, your municipality will provide you with several trash cans and other specialized containers for collecting household waste, yard waste, glass bottles, paper, and newspapers.
A company contracted by the municipality will collect these containers periodically according to a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly schedule. Your municipality will regularly provide you with this collection schedule.
The cost of waste collection is either a flat fee or calculated based on how often you use the service.
To keep the environment clean and well-maintained, municipal authorities organize a major community cleanup campaigneach year across the municipality with Aktioun Grouss Botz.
Waste Collection and Bin Colors
You have household waste to dispose of and bins to empty. Do you want to tidy up your garage or basement? Do you have unwanted items to recycle? In Luxembourg, waste collection and recycling are managed by the municipalities.
At a time when we are increasingly mindful of preserving our planet, here is a quick reminder on how to sort your waste properly. Several bins of different colors are available in Luxembourg. How do you keep track of them?
Gray trash can in Luxembourg for household waste
The gray bin collects the following waste, which will then be incinerated:
- non-recyclable residual household waste
- used tissues and paper towels
- baking paper, plastic packaging not accepted in the blue bag.
Do not put the following items in your gray trash can; they must be taken to the recycling center:
- metal
- hazardous materials
- car batteries
- printer toner
- paint cans
- solvents, etc.
Check with your local municipality.
Shopping centers collect batteries, used light bulbs, and various types of waste in designated containers.
Recycling of paper, plastics, waste, and packaging in blue bins
Blue bins for recyclable waste in Luxembourg
The blue bin is for recyclable waste, including
- clean paper and cardboard
- old newspapers or magazines,
- flyers
- school notebooks, …
Even though you can throw books in there, consider places where you can exchange them, such as book cabinets or free exchange areas at recycling centers. This way, your books can find a second life.
Do not throw away:
- pizza boxes
- baking paper
- receipts
- greasy, soiled, waxed, or plastic-coated paper.
Valorlux blue bags for PMC packaging
Valorlux blue PMC bags are used for recycling packaging waste. You can obtain them free of charge from your local municipal office.
Residents of the City of Luxembourg can find these bags at the following locations:
- Bierger-Center
- City Hall
- Badanstalt
- Bonnevoie Municipal Swimming Pool
- Recycling Center
- Sanitation Department.
The blue bags are for so-called PMC packaging, i.e.:
- plastic bottles and containers,
- metal packaging such as tin cans
- beverage cartons
- plastic wrap and bags,
- plastic jars, trays, and cups.
Please do not put the following in the recycling:
- black or multi-layered plastics, such as coffee, chip, or pet food packages
- Styrofoam or polystyrene
- medication blister packs
- cardboard (which belongs in the blue bins).
Valorlux “Mon Sac Bleu” app to sort your waste correctly
Valorlux offers a free “Mon Sac Bleu” app on sorting techniques. Check it out at or risk having your trash collection refused and receiving a red penalty sticker. You’ll be forced to re-sort your waste and face a delayed collection.
The Valorlux app provides information on:
- the collection dates for your blue recycling bags in your municipality of residence
- key tips for recycling in accordance with Luxembourg regulations
- tips to prevent, for example, your bags from blowing away
- the many recycling centers in Luxembourg, including their contact and opening hours. The app even offers a GPS system that helps you find your way there easily, based on your real-time location!
- RE-BOX collection centers, located in certain shopping centers in Luxembourg
An eco-friendly way to dispose of your waste quickly and easily!
Green bin for glass
The green bin in Luxembourg is intended for glass only, such as empty glass bottles.
Remember to remove caps, lids, or metal or plastic sleeves. Note that in some municipalities, the glass bin is a different color.
Do not throw in:
- glass panes
- broken mirrors
- earthenware or ceramic dishes or plates
- light bulbs. These can be disposed of at recycling stations in shopping centers.
- full bottles.
Organic and biodegradable waste – Biomüll
Collected biodegradable waste is a renewable energy resource. Energy suppliers now offer energy derived from Biomüll.
Municipalities provide specific containers for the collection of this organic waste for an annual fee. Check with your municipality.
The brown bin in Luxembourg, green in other municipalities, collects the following waste:
- food scraps, except meat and fish
- eggshells
- spoiled food
- tea bags
- coffee grounds
- garden waste (excluding woody material)
- flowers (excluding roses),
- plants
- grass
- small animal droppings
- biodegradable bags
Do not put the following in the bin:
- wooden garden waste
- plant soil
- grease and other oils
- ash, charcoal
- cigarette butts
- cat litter
- diapers
Do you have a garden? Why not set up your own compost bin there? You can use the compost you create for your plants and flowers.
Would you like to have a garden to grow your own vegetables? Check out community gardens
Environmentally hazardous products
Through the “Superdreckskëscht”® initiative, the Luxembourg government has implemented a number of measures to recycle products that are harmful to the environment, such as:
- aerosol cans
- packaging contaminated with harmful substances
- cooking oils and fats
You’ll find collection points at recycling centers, as well as at a number of stores in Luxembourg.
In addition, a mobile collection is organized four times a year in each municipality. Check with your local municipal office.
Disposing of bulky items in Luxembourg
Bulky items can be picked up directly by prior appointment. Check with your local municipality.
After attaching a label provided when you made the appointment, you can place the bulky items directly in front of your home. They will be picked up at the agreed-upon time.
Waste collection centers and recycling centers in Luxembourg
Free access to your municipality’s recycling center
Municipalities also offer their residents free waste collection sites or recycling centers.
Residents can bring all their recyclable or hazardous waste there if they do not have all the bins listed above.
Access to recycling centers is free and reserved for residents of the municipality. Check with your municipality of residence.
You can drop off many types of recyclable waste at municipal waste collection centers: plastic, glass, cardboard, wood, metal, phone batteries, electrical wires, etc.
Each material has its own designated bin or container available.
You can also drop off your hazardous waste at the waste collection center. It will be properly disposed of.
Give items a second life at recycling stations
Additionally, you’ll find a section at these waste collection centers where you can drop off items you no longer need.
This way, you make them available to others who might be interested in giving them a second life:
- toys
- books
- children’s clothing
- decorative items
- ...
The City of Luxembourg’s recycling center is located at 48 Rue d’Arlon in Luxembourg-Belair. It is also open to residents of the municipality of Strassen.
Recycling in Luxembourg: Where Does the Country Stand Today?
Luxembourg has long been considered behind the curve when it comes to waste recycling, particularly plastics. The most recent data , however , show an encouraging trend, with significant progress but also persistent challenges.
A marked improvement in performance
In recent years, Luxembourg has strengthened its environmental practices and waste sorting systems. Today:
- More than 60% of packaging waste is recycled.
- Approximately 54% of municipal waste is recovered.
These results now place Luxembourg on a positive trajectory at the European level, even though there is still room for improvement.
However, Luxembourg’s main challenge lies not only in recycling, but also in the amount of waste generated.
By 2024:
- Luxembourg ranks fifth in Europe for the amount of household waste it generates.
- Each resident produces an average of 681 kilograms of waste per year, or nearly 2 kilograms per day. The European average is 517 kilograms per person, indicating potential for improvement.
This reality can be attributed in particular to the high standard of living, consumption habits, and the heavy use of packaging.
Plastic recycling: a sensitive issue
Despite these overall advances, plastic recycling remains a point of concern.
The recycling rate for plastic packaging remains below European targets, with performance levels close to the European Union average. Some plastics remain difficult to recycle, and a portion of the waste is still processed outside the country.
For Luxembourg’s authorities, the challenge is now twofold: improving recycling while reducing waste generation at the source.
Measures Taken in Luxembourg to Reduce Waste
Reducing waste in supermarkets
- Beverage aisle: introduction of a deposit system for beverages
- Produce section: no more plastic-wrapped fruits and vegetables for quantities under 1.5 kg.
- Designated area for collecting packaging at checkout.
End of free plastic bags
No more free bags. Remember to bring your Valorlux Ecobag or other reusable bags when shopping in Luxembourg.
You can purchasethem directly at supermarket checkout counters. If needed, you can replace them for free for life.
Don’t forget the small reusable fabric Superbag for your fruits and vegetables.
Restrictions on flyer distribution
Residents must now indicate on their mailboxes their explicit consent to receive flyers.
Leaflets placed on cars are prohibited.
Recycling centers versus resource centers
Recycling centers are now resource centers designed to promote the reuse of various items, particularly electrical and electronic devices.
Also consider garage sales to resell your unwanted items and earn a little money at the same time.
Waste sorting during construction
During renovation or construction work, the project owner is now responsible for sorting different types of waste separately.
Protect our environment by participating in the “Grouss Botz” initiative in your community.
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Toward a more circular economy
Luxembourg is currently undergoing a transition toward a more sustainable model, based on:
- the development of the circular economy
- improved waste sorting (particularly through the blue bag system)
- reducing single-use plastics
These changes are part of a broader European framework aimed at limiting environmental impact and encouraging more responsible consumption patterns.
Key points for expats and families
Moving to Luxembourg also means adapting to certain local waste management practices.
Waste sorting is well-organized and part of daily life. Newcomers are generally supported during this transition, although certain specifics (color codes, collection schedules, local rules) may take some time to get used to.
In this context, Luxembourg offers a favorable environment for adopting more sustainable habits, while still facing a major challenge: reducing the overall amount of waste produced.
Join the “Long Live The Summer” event, committed to sustainable development.
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