Waste and deposit system in Germany [15.09.22]
While living in Germany, you will soon notice that there are complex waste separation and deposit systems in place. Ever heard of Gelber Sack? Pfand anyone? You will know all about it after reading this entry!
Waste separation and deposit system in Germany
1. Waste separation
The following information applies to the Stuttgart area. Remember that for other districts other rules may apply.
> Yellow garbage can|yellow bag (Gelber Sack)
What belongs inside?
All packaging made of plastic, tinplate and aluminum, such as foil, tubes, food cans, plastic bags and beverage cartons or Tetrapacks, belong in the "Gelber Sack”. Coffee-to-Go cups, Take-Away containers and lids made of plastic or metal also go in the yellow bag. Empty packaging does not have to be rinsed clean, but it must be spoon clean. Furthermore, any food residues contained should be disposed of in the organic or residual waste before disposal. Note: For some packaging, the label or outer packaging can now be removed and disposed of separately, e.g., in the paper waste; if this is not done, these containers cannot be recycled.
What does not belong inside?
Any kind of food, glass or paper.
> Residual waste (Restmüll)
What belongs inside? Non-recyclable items such as ashes, animal feces and litter, spoiled paper (pizza boxes), hygiene items (pads, tampons, tissues), diapers, vacuum cleaner bags, dried-up pens, cigarette butts, old photos, and broken china and drinking glasses go into the residual waste.
> Organic waste (Biomüll)
What belongs inside?
The organic waste garbage can may be filled with all organic waste, such as plant and garden waste, fruit and vegetable waste, coffee and tea filters, meat and cheese waste, spoiled food, and bones or eggshells. If the waste is too wet, it should be wrapped in paper beforehand.
What does not belong inside?
Plastic should be put in the organic waste garbage can.
> Paper waste (Papiermüll)
What belongs inside?
Newspapers, magazines, writing paper, cardboard packaging or wrapping paper, and blue recyclable receipts may be disposed of with wastepaper.
What does not belong inside?
Altered paper, such as "normal" receipts, handkerchiefs, soiled, treated or impregnated paper does not belong in the paper waste.
> Waste glass (Altglas)
What belongs inside?
Used glass includes all disposable glass bottles - or jars, these are collected separately by color in used glass containers. This includes champagne and wine bottles, containers for non-perishable foodstuffs such as pickles, olives, corn or perfume bottles. Glass is separated into green, brown and white glass. Blue or other colored glass belongs to green glass. Plastic or metal lids of glass containers can be disposed of in advance in the yellow bag, but forgetting to unscrew them is not fatal, as they can be sorted out and recycled during the recycling process. Corks can also be handed in at recycling centers, social institutions or even at wine merchants. These are further processed, for example, as biological insulating materials and floor coverings.
What does not belong inside?
Do not fill broken drinking glasses or shards.
> Special waste (Sondermüll)
What belongs inside?
Hazardous waste includes products with harmful ingredients such as renovation waste, cleaning agents, spray cans that have not been completely emptied, garden chemicals with hazardous substance symbols (fertilizer, pesticide), energy-saving light bulbs, batteries and rechargeable batteries. Batteries and rechargeable batteries can be handed in at any supermarket or drugstore (green collection box). Energy-saving lamps can usually also be handed in at hardware stores and electrical stores or grocery stores (if it is sold there). Other materials can be handed in free of charge at municipal collection points. The nearest location to the university is at Grüninger Straße, 70599 Stuttgart. The conditions for this are: normal household quantities, tightly closed and labeled containers, maximum size of 5L (exception: paints/varnishes), no delivery in bags or sacks.
> Waste electrical equipment (Elektroschrott)
What belongs inside?
These include defective toasters, irons, laptops, printers, cables, cell phones or coffee machines. These should be dropped off at municipal collection points or at retail stores. Large grocery stores and discount stores (that sell electrical appliances), as well as electronics stores, will take these items back free of charge. CDs and DVDs can also be handed in at electrical stores or recycling centers for further recycling.
> Bulk waste (Sperrmüll)
If you have old furniture, mattresses, carpets, refrigerators or washing machines, you can register the collection of your bulky waste online (service.stuttgart.de/lhs-services/aws/sperrabfall/). Bulky waste can be collected twice per calendar year free of charge. You can also ask your caretaker (Hausmeister) about this.
Second-hand clothes| Clothes Container (Kleidercontainer)
What belongs inside?
Old clothes can either be dropped off in an old clothes container (Altkleidercontainer), which can usually be found in parking lots, at supermarkets or in industrial areas next to old clothes containers. Furthermore, there is the possibility to hand in clothes in a regional place for the needy. It is also possible to sell or hand in your old clothes on platforms such as Vinted. In the retail trade, you can sometimes hand in your old clothes through campaigns such as "Let's close the loop" by H&M on site and receive a voucher for it.
What does not belong inside?
Dirty or torn clothing belongs in the residual waste.
The waste separation is unfortunately different from state to state and even from municipality to municipality, so be careful!
2. Deposit system
Deposits are now charged on almost all non-refillable and refillable bottles and cans, and as of this year, deposits are also charged on non-refillable juice bottles. So far, only packaging with dairy beverages is exempt from the deposit regulation.
> One-way deposit
Non-refillable containers are mainly PET bottles and aluminum beverage cans. Occasionally, there are also one-way bottles on glass. There is a 25 cent deposit on all these bottles and cans.
> Reusable deposit
With reusable deposit, we are mainly talking about glass bottles such as beer bottles or swing-top bottles. These give 8 cents to 15 cent deposit. Also subject to deposit are returnable plastic bottles, these feel firmer and thicker than disposable bottles and give 15 cent deposit. In addition, some glass yogurt cups, and whipped cream bottles also have a 15-cent deposit. Note: Sometimes there are 1 l wine bottles, which give 2 to 3 cent deposit.
If you buy a whole crate of beer, sparkling water or soft drinks, there is also a deposit on the crate, which you will also get back when you return it.
How do I know what is deposit?
Unfortunately, there is no uniform labeling for the so-called returnable bottles yet. Non-refillable containers, on the other hand, have a uniform deposit logo. The amount of the deposit is also different for returnable, 8 to 15 cent, and non-refillable, always 25 cents. You can usually recognize a returnable bottle by the printing of "Mehrweg", "Leihflasche", "Pfandflasche", "Mehrweg-Flasche". Also look for the sign "Blauer Engel - das Umweltzeichen" or "Für die Umwelt - Mehrweg". For non-refillable bottles, the following labels are used "Pfandflasche" or "PET-CYCLE". As well look for the "Zeichen der Deutschen Pfandsystem GmbH" (blue or black bottle and can with arrow).
Where can I hand in my deposit?
Deposit bottles can be returned in any supermarket or discount store and sometimes also in drugstores that have a reverse vending machine. Note: Supermarkets can refuse to take back returnable bottles if they do not sell the products themselves. This is not permitted for disposable containers.
How does the deposit system work?
When you have put all the bottles or cans into the machine, you press the usually (only) button on the machine or on the touch screen and then get a deposit receipt which you should keep well and then hand in at the checkout. You can either cash out the money or offset it against your purchase. Return your empty bottles, save money!
What does not have a deposit?
Tetrapacks, champagne and wine bottles (not all of them!), canned food, containers for non-perishable food, e.g., pickles, these then belong in the yellow bag or the glass container.
To be honest, yes garbage and deposit system is very much to take in and you have to get used to it, but it is a good thing for the environment and if you separate properly, you can save important resources. :)
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