Disposing of recyclable materials

Recyclable materials are materials that

reutilised after use,
converted into other products or
broken down into raw materials.

They can be recycled. This returns them to the economic cycle, which also saves CO₂ and energy.

Recyclable materials should be recycled to the highest possible quality. This requires separation in two ways: Please carefully separate sales packaging into the individual fractions glass (so-called igloo containers), paper, cardboard, cardboard (paper bin) and the so-called lightweight packaging (yellow bag/yellow bin). Please also make sure to separate the individual components of packaging from each other. Many packages contain instructions on this. A yoghurt pot, for example, should be separated into plastic (actual pot), cardboard (band around the pot) and aluminium (lid). Separation has a significant impact on subsequent recycling. What is missed during separation is difficult to make up for later.

Some districts already have a collection centre for recyclable materials. You can also dispose of so-called non-packaging of the same material, i.e. plastic items, separately there.

Prerequisite

none

Responsible department

For residual waste, organic waste or graphic paper made of paper, cardboard or carton (this includes newspapers and magazines, not packaging): the public waste management organisation.
The public waste management organisation is the municipal or district authority, in some cases also as a municipal company or in the legal form of a legal entity under public or private law.
The dual systems organised under private law are responsible for the collection, disposal and recycling of sales packaging (lightweight packaging, glass, paper, cardboard, carton) and usually commission a private waste disposal company to collect it.
In most cases, the paper bin is intended for both graphic paper (newspapers, magazines) and sales packaging made of paper, cardboard and carton. In the majority of cases, emptying is the responsibility of the public waste disposal organisations.

Standard port

Urban district/rural district

Procedure

You can dispose of recyclable materials:

Used glass or paper at recycling centres or via containers such as the so-called igloo containers.
Make sure that used glass is separated by colour. Blue glass must go in the bin for green glass. Only glass that was used as sales packaging belongs in the containers. Other products made of glass, such as crockery, vases or mirrors, must not be disposed of in the glass container, as the glass has a different composition and the recycling process could be impaired or made completely impossible.
Cans, drinks cartons, plastic cups, foil packaging in the yellow bag or in the yellow bin.
In some rural or urban districts, you can also dispose of all other recyclable materials that are not packaging, such as plastic crockery, children's toys, frying pans, in special recycling bins (non-packaging of the same material). Otherwise, you must hand them in at the recycling centres or dispose of them with the residual waste.
Organic waste in the organic waste bin.
Via private recycling companies: for large, non-household quantities.

Some associations also organise the collection of waste paper/cardboard/cardboard.

Ask your local council or district administration how or where you can dispose of recyclables in your municipality.

Most urban and rural districts publish waste calendars. These will tell you the collection dates and types of collection.

Deadlines

none

Required documents

none

Costs

The dual systems organised under private law are responsible for the collection, disposal and recycling of sales packaging made of plastic, composites, glass or paper/cardboard/carton. There are no separate costs as the manufacturers have already paid for the subsequent recycling by the dual systems when placing the packaging on the market.

The costs for residual waste, organic waste and graphic paper made of paper, cardboard and paperboard are based on the municipal fee statutes. If you have any questions, please contact the public waste disposal organisation responsible for you.

Processing time

different

Miscellaneous

none

Appeal

If you have any problems with residual waste, bulky waste, organic waste or waste paper, please contact the relevant public waste disposal organisation.

In contrast, the dual systems organised under private law are responsible for the collection, disposal and recycling of sales packaging made of plastic, composites, glass or paper, cardboard and carton and have generally commissioned a private waste disposal company to collect it.

Your public waste management organisation can tell you who you can contact if you have any problems. You can often also find the relevant information on the homepage of the responsible public waste management organisation.

Legal basis

Verpackungsgesetz (VerpackG)

Release note

machine generated, based on the German release by: Umweltministerium Baden-Württemberg, 18.06.2024