Topics | Umweltbundesamt

Disposing of waste at landfill sites should be regarded as the last resort for waste management and should only be done for non-recyclable waste. Such waste is disposed of in Germany at secure landfill sites, whose landfill must exhibit specific properties, depending on landfill site class. To this end, the waste is treated prior to being deposited, insofar as necessary. read more

Thermal waste treatment, which is one of the mainstays of waste disposal in Germany, is carried out via various types of installations, depending on the type of waste involved. At nearly all such facilities, incineration energy is recovered to generate electricity, heat and/or process steam. read more

The term “hazardous waste” refers to various types of waste with defined hazardous properties that are harmful for the environment and/or human health. Hazardous waste must be handled using special techniques and processes that ensure safe and environmentally sound disposal by elimination of the hazardous substances contained in the waste. read more

Pursuant to Germany’s Kreislaufwirtschaftsgesetz law, waste is to be disposed of in a safe and environmentally compatible manner, whereby the top priority in this regard is protecting human health and the environment. Various waste treatment, recycling and disposal techniques are used, depending on the nature of the waste in question and the waste management objective. read more

Waste management is responsible for the entire waste cycle: from waste prevention, re-use and recycling to recovery and disposal. Their tasks include collection, transport, ,sorting and treatment of waste. read more

Around 25 to 30 percent of Germany’s hazardous waste is treated using physicochemical methods that either destroy the hazardous substances or convert them into non-hazardous substances, thus allowing them to be either recycled or disposed of. read more