Nail polish and nail polish remover are classified as hazardous waste in Sweden because they contain solvents, lacquer residues and pigments that must not end up in nature or in the regular rubbish bin (source: Sysav sorting guide). This also applies to a bottle with only a dried-up residue at the bottom. A completely empty bottle, on the other hand, falls into a different category and can be sorted as regular packaging. Below, we explain where to take nail polish and remover, how to pack the bottle before dropping it off, what applies to empty packaging and old makeup, and why it is worth checking your own municipality’s sorting guide before you set off.
- Full or dried-up bottle: hazardous waste, to be dropped off at a recycling centre or through the municipality’s hazardous waste collection service.
- Completely empty bottle: regular packaging collection, sorted by material.
- Old or unused makeup: usually handled in the same way as nail polish, but check your municipality’s rules, as they can vary.
Is nail polish hazardous waste?
The answer is yes, and the reason has to do with what the polish actually contains rather than how much is left in the bottle. Hazardous waste is a collective term for waste that contains or consists of substances with hazardous properties, and lacquer paints are explicitly mentioned as an example (source: Sysav). Nail polish and nail polish remover contain substances that must not end up in nature or in regular residual waste, which is precisely why they need to be handled differently from food scraps or packaging (source: Apotek Hjärtat).
It is easy to think that a bottle where the polish has almost dried out no longer counts as hazardous, but the classification depends on the contents, not the amount. As long as there is any polish, remover or damp residue left in the bottle, it must be treated as hazardous waste, not as an empty package that can go straight into recycling.
How to dispose of nail polish and nail polish remover
The most common option is to take them to your local recycling centre, where hazardous waste is accepted in special containers (source: Sysav). Some municipalities supplement this with a mobile collection service, often called the Hazardous Waste truck, which stops at set locations at fixed times, or with a hazardous waste drop-off point where smaller quantities can be handed in more frequently without having to book an appointment. Some municipalities also offer collection through selected shops or even collection from your home if you have difficulty getting to a recycling centre (source: Stockholm Vatten och Avfall).
Before dropping off the bottle, it is worth checking that it is tightly closed so that it does not leak during transport. If you still have the original packaging, it is best to leave the bottle in it, as this makes it easier for staff to see what it contains. If you have transferred the polish to another container, you should label it with the contents and avoid mixing different products in the same container (source: Avfall Hälsingland).
If the bottle cannot be closed properly
If the cap can no longer be screwed on all the way, or the lid is broken, you can place the bottle upright in a small plastic bag or a lidded container before putting it with the other hazardous waste. This reduces the risk of any residue leaking during transport to the recycling centre.
Empty bottles, old makeup and packaging
When a bottle or jar is completely empty, it falls into a different category: it is no longer considered hazardous waste and can instead go into regular packaging collection, sorted by material such as plastic, glass or metal (source: Stockholm Vatten och Avfall). If the pump, lid or brush is made of a different material from the container itself, it is a good idea to separate the parts before sorting them, as this makes recycling more efficient (source: Apotek Hjärtat).
Old or unused makeup, such as dried-out mascara or a foundation you will never use up, is normally handled in the same way as nail polish because it requires controlled handling rather than being thrown away with residual waste (source: Stockholm Vatten och Avfall). However, the exact procedures for makeup can vary more between municipalities than those for nail polish, so it is especially worth checking locally for this product category (source: Apotek Hjärtat).
| Product | Status | Where to take it |
|---|---|---|
| Nail polish with contents remaining | Hazardous waste | Recycling centre, Hazardous Waste truck or hazardous waste drop-off point |
| Nail polish remover | Hazardous waste | Same options as above |
| Completely empty bottle or jar | Packaging | Packaging collection, sorted by material |
| Old or unused makeup | Usually hazardous waste | Recycling centre; check your municipality’s own rules |
Check your municipality’s own sorting guide
The type of collection available near you depends on where you live. Some municipalities have only a permanent recycling centre, while others supplement this with a mobile collection service or the option to drop off smaller quantities at a selected shop (source: Stockholm Vatten och Avfall). Since procedures for makeup vary more between municipalities than those for nail polish, it is worth spending a few minutes searching your own municipality’s sorting guide before you set off, so you know exactly where to go and what opening hours apply where you live.
If you have several things to get rid of at the same time, such as nail polish, remover and old makeup, you can usually take everything along on the same visit instead of making a separate trip for each product.
Fewer bottles to throw away: reusable nail sets
The question of where to throw away the polish really only comes up when a bottle is empty or has dried out, and how often that happens is connected to how you use nail polish in everyday life. A reusable press-on set like Milky is, according to the product description, designed to last for up to around two weeks, depending on how the nails have been prepared and how you use your hands during that time, and can then be reapplied instead of being replaced with a new manicure. In practice, that means fewer half-full bottles to deal with over time, although this is not an environmental claim in itself, just a consequence of the same set lasting for more occasions.
If you would like to read more guides on caring for and storing nail polish, press-on sets and makeup, you can find them all on the blog.