A Madrid recycling point, or punto limpio, is a city-run drop-off for household waste that cannot go in the bin, from paint and batteries to sofas and old laptops. There are three kinds, according to Madrid City Council. The 16 fixed recycling points, known as puntos limpios, open Monday to Saturday from 8am to 8pm and 9am to 2pm on Sundays and holidays, and they are the only ones that take furniture, large appliances, 120 kg of rubble and 5 kg of paint. A mobile van stops at 351 places around the city for two hours a week each, and 95 proximity points take batteries, light bulbs and small electronics, with 59 of them on the street and open 24 hours.
None of the fixed points is in the Centro, Chamberí, Retiro, Salamanca or Tetuán districts, which is where many newcomers rent. If you live there without a car, the van and the street bins cover almost everything small, and the 010 phone line arranges free collection for the big items.
Where do I recycle electronics, paint and furniture in Madrid? Drive furniture, big appliances, rubble and paint to one of the 16 fixed recycling points, open Monday to Saturday 8am-8pm. Batteries, bulbs, cooking oil, clothes and a small device fit in a street proximity bin, open 24 hours, or the mobile van when it stops near you.
Which one do you need for what you are throwing away?
| What you have | Where it goes | Limit per visit |
|---|---|---|
| Sofa, chair, mattress | Fixed point, or free 010 collection | 5 items at a fixed point |
| Washing machine, oven, TV | Fixed point, or the shop selling you a new one | 6 appliances |
| Fridge or air conditioner | Fixed point | 1 unit |
| Tin of paint or solvent | Fixed point or mobile van | 5 kg |
| Rubble from a small DIY job | Fixed point only | 120 kg, about 4 small sacks |
| Laptop, phone, tablet | Proximity bin, mobile van or a large electronics shop | 1 at the van and proximity bins |
| Light bulbs and fluorescent tubes | Any of the three | 5 fixed, 3 van or proximity |
| Spray cans | Any of the three | 10 fixed, 5 van or proximity |
| Car battery | Fixed point or mobile van | 2 fixed, 1 van |
| Engine oil | Fixed point or mobile van | 10 litres fixed, 5 litres van |
The fixed points also take up to 150 kg of wood, 2 mercury thermometers, 1 camping gas canister of up to 10 litres, 3 bicycle tyres, an e-scooter without its battery and one or two solar panels.
Where are the 16 fixed recycling points?
You drive in with a private car or van. A van with company branding or advertising counts as an industrial vehicle and is turned away unless the city has authorised it, so a removal company’s van will not get in.
Five of the points have a metro station nearby, according to the city’s own listing: Arganzuela at Méndez Álvaro (L6), Barajas at Barajas (L8), Fuencarral at Avenida de la Ilustración, Moratalaz at Vinateros (L9) and Vicálvaro at San Cipriano (L9). The rest are reached by bus, which only makes sense if what you carry fits in your hands.
Opening hours, according to Madrid City Council, are the same at all 16: 8am to 8pm Monday to Saturday and 9am to 2pm on Sundays and public holidays. On 24 and 31 December they open 9am to 2pm, and they close on 25 December, 1 January and 6 January. Check which Madrid holidays change opening hours before driving out on a long weekend.
When does the mobile van stop on your street?
The van makes 351 stops, each once a week, always in one of six two-hour slots: 7.45-9.45am, 10am-12pm, 12.15-2.15pm, 2.30-4.30pm, 4.45-6.45pm and 7-9pm. On Sundays it only stops at 18 places, and only in the morning.
The city’s app, Puntos Limpios de Madrid, lists every stop and slot. Put side by side, a street bin is there 168 hours a week, a fixed point 77 hours (12 hours a day Monday to Saturday plus 5 on Sunday) and a single van stop just 2 hours.
In the Centro district the van has 21 stops. Easy ones to remember: Plaza Mayor 29-30 on Saturdays 12.15-2.15pm, Plaza de Tirso de Molina 16 on Saturdays 2.30-4.30pm and Plaza de Lavapiés 8 on Saturdays 7-9pm, near Lavapiés.
If you live in the centre without a car
The five districts without a fixed point have extra street bins instead: 9 in Centro and 6 each in Chamberí, Retiro, Salamanca and Tetuán. Those on the street never close:
- Centro: Plaza de Isabel II 7, by Ópera metro; Plaza Juan Goytisolo 2, outside the Reina Sofía Museum; Plaza del Rey 3.
- Chamberí: Plaza de Olavide; Santa Engracia 48.
- Retiro: Avenida de Menéndez Pelayo opposite number 45, at the gate of Retiro Park.
- Salamanca: Calle Juan Bravo 3; Plaza de Manuel Becerra 8, open 7am to midnight.
For furniture or a large appliance, ring 010, the Línea Madrid line (914 800 010 from outside the city), and book the free bulky waste collection. It is the same line that handles appointments for registering on the padrón when you first move.
What not to bring, and where it goes instead
Some things never go to a recycling point, and others have a closer drop-off:
| Item | Where it goes in Madrid |
|---|---|
| Medicines and their packaging | The SIGRE bin in any pharmacy |
| Batteries | Bins at bus shelters |
| Clothes, shoes, bags, soft toys | Street textile bins |
| Used cooking oil | Street oil bins |
| Glasses | Opticians |
| Car tyres | The garage that changes them |
| Asbestos sheeting, glass panes, a mattress with bedbugs | The city’s SELUR service |
| Needles and syringes | Your health centre, or up to 10 at a fixed point |
Madrid recycling points FAQ
Where can I throw away electronics in Madrid?
Small devices under 25 cm, such as a phone, a charger or a router, can go to any shop larger than 400 m² that sells electronics, without buying anything, or to a street proximity bin. A television, washing machine or fridge goes to one of the 16 fixed recycling points, which take up to 6 appliances and 1 fridge per visit.
How do I get rid of old paint in Madrid?
Take it to a fixed recycling point, which accepts up to 5 kg of paint, solvents and containers with hazardous residue per visit, or to the mobile recycling van, which takes the same 5 kg. Street proximity bins do not accept paint. Never pour it down the sink or leave it beside the bins.
How do I get rid of furniture in Madrid?
Book it first: the city collects furniture, mattresses and large appliances for free if you book it through 010, the Línea Madrid phone line, or you can drive them to a fixed recycling point, which takes up to 5 items of furniture per visit in a private car.
Do I need a car to use a Madrid recycling point?
Only for the fixed ones, which you enter by private vehicle; vans with company branding are turned away without a city permit. The mobile van and the 95 proximity points are designed for people on foot, and 59 of those proximity bins are on the street and open 24 hours.
Big things go by car to a fixed point; everything small has a bin within walking distance.