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There are several categories of garbage. Let's start with normal trash:

一般垃圾 yì bān lè sè

This includes cellophane, used tissues/ paper towels, nut shells, seafood shells, fruit shells, peels, q tips, diapers, all kinds of stuff.

It's much easier to define what goes in normal trash by defining what goes in the other types of trash. If it doesn't go in the other types, then it's normal trash. This image below shows 一般垃圾 normal trash on the left, and other food trash on the right.

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Food trash aka 廚餘 chú yú is divided into:

生廚餘 shēng chú yú

Raw food leftovers which are things like fruit cores, egg shells, tea leaves, vegetables, peels, coffee ground, stuff like that. and then there's ...

熟廚餘 shóu chú yú

Cooked food includes things like cooked meat (I guess not bones?) and beans and spices, rice, etc. Ya know, general cooked stuff. This separation of cooked stuff is very unclear at times. If you are in doubt, throw it in with the normal trash and nobody will really care or worry about it. See image above.

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Now for the recycling.

Recycling is separated into several categories:

紙類 zhǐ lèi

Paper includes boxes, paper cups, newspapers, printed food boxes, cardboard, etc. I guess the takeaway food containers and cups and stuff are technically a different category, but the trash guys will take care of separating that for you. At least they will in ShuangBei (Taipei and New Taipei).

金屬 jīn shǔ

Metal stuff includes aluminum cans, steel/tin cans, those small gas canisters for portable grills... stuff like that.

塑膠 sù jiāo

For plastics you got your 寶特瓶 (bǎo tè píng) which means plastic bottles, plastic lids, pretty much plastic everything. Plastic bags and cellphane go in normal trash, however. Styrofoam and that type of packaging stuff is also recyclable and you can just put it all together like I do, in the Shuang Bei.

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Other recycling:

Misc stuff should be able to be accepted by the recycling trucks, but it all varies by area. They take cooking oil, they take clothes, they take electronics, but I think not batteries.

As mentioned above, some of this will vary upon your specific area. If you'd like to see how your specific area may do it, you can look up...

(city name) + 回收分類

Where I used to live in Yilan, there were specific days you were supposed to recycle certain things, but in New Taipei they don't separate recyclables on different days of the week.

You can also look for places like the one in the Google maps link below in Yonghe, where you can also go and dispose of things at your own pace. You'll probably need a vehicle if you are taking bigger things there.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/1XYnh9P29N9kGVaa6

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Now for the fun part, listening to the magical ice cream truck-esque music, waiting for the filth cleansers to wash away our shame, and throwing garbage around like we are in some sort of Mad Max world.

To find out when they'll come to your area in the Shuang Bei, you can look up this

https://crd-rubbish.epd.ntpc.gov.tw/dispPageBox/Ntpcepd/NtpMP.aspx?ddsPageID=MAP

or this

https://garbage.gov.taipei/epb/iframe/trash.aspx

If you are in another area of Taiwan, just look up...

(city name) + 垃圾車時間

Maybe ask some people around you when the trucks come. You can also just use your ears and take note of the time and location where they swing by.

Plot out your disposal spot. When it is time, haul all your stuff out to the curb, wait your turn, throw your bags and dispose of your food trash. It's always normal trash and food trash first, and then recycling truck pulls up after it.

Make sure to be fast, because they don't like waiting too long. They have a schedule to keep. Trash trucks are usually yellow and recycling trucks are usually white.

Fluff Content (YOU DON'T NEED TO READ THIS!!!)

And that is it! enjoy your trash free home! In the brutal summer heat, it's probably best to keep some of your food trash in the freezer (if you don't plan on throwing it out right away). I'm sure you will figure it out. Stay clean!