In 2023, Germany recorded an unprecedented decrease in household waste production, with per capita waste dropping to 433 kilograms. This marks the lowest level since data collection began in 2004. The total household waste amounted to 36.7 million tonnes, a decrease of 0.7% from the previous year and 3.6% from pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
During the pandemic, waste generation peaked at 40.3 million tonnes in 2021. The recent reduction is noteworthy, especially given the population growth of over 0.3 million people in 2023. The division of waste types shows that household waste and separately collected recyclables each constituted about one-third of the total. Bio-waste accounted for approximately a quarter, while bulky waste made up around 7% and other waste types such as batteries and paints comprised just 0.5%.
The most significant decline was observed in bulky waste, which fell by 6.2% compared to the previous year. Conversely, bio-waste saw a rise of 2.4%, and household waste experienced a minor increase of 0.4% or 45,000 tonnes. The decrease in waste generation is part of a broader effort to promote a circular economy, with continued emphasis on reducing waste across the board. As Germany strives for sustainability, the reduction in waste generation is a positive indicator of progress towards these environmental goals.
