Waste Separation in Germany: Where to Put What?

In Germany, the waste separation system is crucial and mandatory for anyone looking to lead an environmentally conscious life. So, where should you put which type of waste? Here’s your guide to waste separation in Germany:

Basic Bins and Waste Types

In large cities, most buildings have four different colored bins in their backyard. In rural areas, you might need to visit a recycling facility or store your waste until the next collection date, as indicated in the waste collection calendar. You can usually find these calendars on your municipality’s website or obtain them directly from the local authority.

• Yellow Bin (or Yellow Bag / Green (Recycling) Dot Waste): Lightweight Packaging This bin is for all packaging not made of glass or paper.

  • Examples: Aluminum foil, plastic bags, tin cans, yogurt cups, juice and milk cartons (Tetra Paks), plastic bottles, coffee packaging.

• Green or Blue Bin: Paper Waste and Cardboard This bin is for paper-based waste.

  • Examples: Paper bags, newspapers, catalogs, writing paper, cardboard boxes, cigarette packs.
  • Please note: Very old or stained paper waste, such as paper food packaging, should go into the black bin, while juice and milk cartons (Tetra Paks) should be placed in the yellow bin/bag.

• Black or Grey Bin: Residual Waste (Restmüll) This bin is for non-recyclable residual waste or household waste and all other non-recyclable waste types.

  • Examples: Porcelain, hygiene products, dirty packaging, damaged shoes or household items, vacuum cleaner bags, diapers, cigarette butts, eyeglasses.

• Organic Waste or Brown Bin: Compostable Waste This bin is for compostable kitchen and garden waste.

  • Examples: Coffee and tea grounds, fruit and vegetable scraps, eggshells, leaves.

The German Deposit System (Pfand)

In Germany, there is a “deposit obligation” (Pfandpflicht) for certain beverage cans and bottles. This means you pay an extra fee when you buy them and get it back when you return them.

• Single-Use Bottles (Recyclable): These have a square mark with a bottle and an arrow-framed box (the German Deposit System logo). When you return these bottles or cans to the recycling machines in supermarkets, you receive a 25 cent deposit per item.
• Reusable Bottles (Washed and Refilled): Most of these bottles do not have a special symbol, but sometimes a blue angel sign or the words “Mehrwegflasche”, “Leihflasche”, or “Pfandflasche” (reusable bottle, loan bottle, or deposit bottle) are present. For most returned glass or plastic reusable bottles, you get a 15 cent deposit, and for each beer bottle, it’s 8 cents.
• Important: Beverage cartons do not have a deposit.

Non-Deposit Glass Bottles

Non-deposit glass bottles must be disposed of in specific containers. These containers are usually separated into white glass, brown glass, and colored glass (blue or green).

• Examples: Wine, beer (non-deposit), cooking oil, juice, vinegar, and sauce bottles, and jam and preserve jars.
• Please note: To avoid noise disturbance, do not throw bottles into the containers early in the morning or late at night. The rule is generally no bottle disposal between 8:00 PM and 8:00 AM. Drinking glasses, teapots, or glass cups should not be placed in the glass recycling bins; they belong in the black or grey bin (Restmüll).

Special Waste and Other Categories

Some types of waste should not be placed in household bins as they can cause serious harm to nature and health. These are typically disposed of at recycling centers (Recyclinghof) or special collection points.

• Special Waste: Medicines, solvents, batteries, energy-saving lamps, fluorescent tubes, pesticides, and partially empty paint and adhesive containers. You can get more information from your municipality regarding these types of waste. Energy-saving lamps, LEDs, and batteries can also be disposed of at pharmacies and hardware stores.
• Electrical Waste: All devices that run on electricity. For smaller electrical appliances (like cell phones or MP3 players), you can often return them to large electronics stores. Larger electronic devices are usually only accepted by these stores if you purchase a similar new product.
• Bulky Waste (Sperrmüll): Voluminous items or household appliances that do not fit into regular bins due to their size or weight. These can be large pieces of metal, wood, or residual waste. You can take these to recycling centers yourself, or check with your municipality for specific collection days.
• Old Clothes: In almost every city in Germany, you can find old clothes containers where you can dispose of unwanted garments.

Penalties for Non-Compliance

Waste separation is mandatory in Germany. If you don’t follow the rules, your landlord may issue a warning, charge you for the costs incurred by improper separation, and you could even lose your home. If you own your home, improper separation will increase your waste disposal bill. Furthermore, incorrect waste separation is an administrative offense, and you can be fined several hundred or even thousands of euros if caught. Illegally dumping hazardous or bulky waste on the street or in nature can result in fines of up to 50,000 euros.

Adhering to these rules for environmentally conscious living is of great importance for both you and future generations. By embracing this system in Germany, you can protect the environment and avoid unnecessary costs.