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PhrasesRecycling and WasteIl bidone della plastica è quello giallo.
A1

Il bidone della plastica è quello giallo.

The plastics bin is the yellow one.

Pronunciation

bi-DOH-neh — stress the second syllable; the final 'e' is not silent, say it clearly.

When to use it

Use this to direct someone to the right bin or to confirm which colour corresponds to which material. Colours vary by municipality, so always check locally first.

What it means

Bidone means a large bin or container. The colour system is set by each municipality (comune) and is not uniform across Italy. Yellow is commonly used for plastics and metals, but in some cities it is blue or another colour entirely.

Variations

La plastica va nel giallo.

Plastics go in the yellow one.

Very colloquial; Italians often name the bin by its colour.

Il contenitore per la plastica è giallo.

The container for plastics is yellow.

More formal; contenitore is more precise than bidone.

Dove metto la plastica? — Nel giallo.

Where do I put the plastics? — In the yellow one.

Short Q&A; shows how locals actually answer.

Mini Dialogue

— Che colore è il bidone della plastica qui? — È giallo, ma fai attenzione: ci vanno anche le lattine. — E il vetro? — Verde. Lo portano il martedì.

— What colour is the plastics bin here? — It's yellow, but be careful: cans go in there too. — And glass? — Green. They collect it on Tuesdays.

Cultural Note

Italy introduced colour-coded bins nationally, but implementation is local. Moving to a new town or apartment requires checking the comune's website or asking a neighbour, because the colours you learned before may not apply.