What Can You Actually Recycle at Home in the UAE?
Most of us want to recycle. The part that stops us is not knowing what actually qualifies. Is that yoghurt container recyclable? What about the old router in the drawer, or the coffee capsules piling up on the counter?
Recycling should not require research. At ReLoop, we accept a wider range of materials than almost anyone in the UAE, which means far less guesswork for you. Here is what you can recycle from home, sorted the same way we sort it.
Dry Recyclables
These are the everyday materials that make up most household waste.
Paper and cardboard. Newspapers, magazines, office paper, delivery boxes and packaging. Keep them clean and dry.
Plastics. Bottles, containers, packaging and plastic items around the home. A quick rinse goes a long way.
Glass. Bottles and jars in any colour. Rinse them and remove the lids.
Metals. Aluminium cans, tins, foil and scrap metal. Empty and rinsed is ideal.
Special Recyclables
This is where ReLoop goes further than a standard recycling bin. These items often end up in general waste because people simply have nowhere to take them.
Electronics and large appliances. Old phones, laptops, monitors, routers, fans, televisions, washing machines and more. For larger items, attach a photo when you book so our team arrives prepared.
Batteries, lamps and ink cartridges. Small items with a disproportionately large environmental footprint when sent to landfill.
Clothes. Wearable clothing you no longer need. If a piece is still in good condition, donating it first gives it a genuine second life. If it is worn out, we will recycle it properly.
Cigarette butts and UAE flags. Two of the most overlooked waste streams in the country, and both are accepted.
Organic Recyclables
Food and garden waste does not have to end up in a landfill producing methane.
Food waste, used cooking oil and coffee capsules. All recyclable through ReLoop.
Flowers and Christmas trees. Seasonal organic waste that composts beautifully instead of being thrown away.
A Note on Data Security
If you are recycling a phone, laptop or anything with a hard drive, your data is handled with care. Every memory chip is formatted and physically crushed as soon as it arrives at our facility. For organisations, we also issue data protection reports alongside the recycling certificate.
How Recycling Works with ReLoop
There is no sorting centre to drive to and no complicated system to learn.
Download the ReLoop app and enter your location.
Select your materials and choose a collection date. Collections run daily.
Place your items outside your door in the morning. Our driver collects between 8am and 6pm.
Your first pickup is free. After that, it is 25 AED for a one-time collection or 69 AED per month for four collections, which works out to roughly 17 AED per pickup.
Prefer to drop off instead? Our facilities in Dubai (Al Qusais Industrial Area 4) and Abu Dhabi (Mussafah) accept drop-offs free of charge.
You Get Rewarded for It
Every kilogram earns ReLoop points, with the rate depending on the material. Metals and electronics earn 10 points per kilogram, while paper, cardboard and large appliances earn 5. Every 10 points equals 1 AED.
Points can be redeemed with Amazon, noon, Careem and other partners, or donated to charitable causes. The minimum redemption is usually 250 points, though some partners set their own threshold.
You Can See Your Impact
Guesswork ends at the doorstep. The app tracks every collection by weight and material, and generates instant recycling and environmental reports showing the water, energy and emissions your recycling has saved. You can download a recycling certificate at any time, which is particularly useful for schools, offices and communities documenting their sustainability efforts.
The impact is real and measurable. Across our operations we have saved over a million litres of water, diverted hundreds of thousands of kilograms from landfill and prevented significant carbon emissions.
Recycling Should Be the Easy Choice
The UAE has limited landfill space and ambitious sustainability targets. Every household that recycles properly moves the country clos
er to them.
ReLoop is approved by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, MOIAT, the Industrial Development Bureau, tadweer and the Dubai Sustainability Network. We serve homes, communities, schools, offices, shops, events and hospitality across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.
Ready to start? Download the ReLoop app and book your first pickup free.
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