Organic waste goes in the brown bin.
OO-mi-do — the stress is on the first syllable; the 'u' is a pure vowel, not a diphthong.
Use this when explaining or asking about food scraps and kitchen waste. L'umido is the standard Italian term for organic/food waste, and knowing it will help you read bin labels and commune leaflets.
Umido literally means 'moist/wet' and refers to the wet organic fraction of household waste: food scraps, coffee grounds, teabags, eggshells, and fruit peel. It is composted or anaerobically digested. Do not confuse it with green garden waste (verde/sfalcio).
Questo è il bidone per gli scarti alimentari.
This is the bin for food scraps.
Scarti alimentari is the technical term; used on official signs.
I rifiuti organici si mettono qui.
Organic waste goes here.
Rifiuti organici is interchangeable with umido in formal contexts.
Puoi usare i sacchettini biodegradabili.
You can use the small biodegradable bags.
Refers to the compostable liners required in most Italian municipalities.
Italian households are required to use compostable bags (sacchetti compostabili) for the umido bin in most comuni. These are often subsidised or distributed free at the municipal ecology station (isola ecologica).