Civic amenity site

In the United Kingdom, civic amenity sites are informally called "tips" or "dumps".

In continental Europe, there are usually several types of collection sites:

• sorted waste container stands: a group of containers of the most common recyclable household waste, such as plastics, paper, glass, metal cans, liquid packaging board, electrotechnical waste, recyclable clothing and so on. Such stands should be freely accessible by walking. They are often found near bus or tram stops, city squares, village commons, shops etc. A city or a country can have any colour convention to distinguish containers by type of waste.
• waste collection courtyards: except for the mentioned household waste, they are specialized for large waste from citizens: furniture, construction waste, compostable gardening waste – or special types of waste (chemical or other hazardous waste etc.). The waste is usually delivered by cars, vans or trucks and the station has an overseeing staff and opening hours, but services are free of charge. Smaller towns have one such site, cities can have more such courtyards in various neighbourhoods.
• waste purchase stations: especially for metal scrap (iron and other metals), but also for paper, glass etc. Such stations have been in existence longer than modern disposal stations. Coexistence of paid and free systems of collection can result in homeless, asocial or poor people picking waste from the free containers to sell at the waste purchase station.