Germans accounted for around 31 kilograms of self-compostable waste per capita in 2020. This is according to estimates carried out for the first time by the Federal Statistical Office. Excluding biowaste from agriculture or manufacturing, the total volume of biowaste from the residential sector in 2020 was 14.4 million metric tons. In addition to self-composted household waste, 11.8 million tons of biowaste was also collected by waste management companies. Biowaste includes, for example, garden and park waste, cooking oils and fats, and waste from the organic waste garbage can.
Compared to 2010, the amount of biowaste has increased by 23.7 percent. However, the Federal Statistical Office also points out that waste from the organic waste garbage can increased year-on-year from 2019 to 2020, while the amount of other organic waste decreased, in some cases significantly. This can be attributed to the Corona pandemic, during which large kitchens, canteens and restaurants also remained closed during lockdowns.
This is because while large kitchens, canteens and restaurants generated around 1.1 million tons less waste in 2020 (down 17.23 percent year-on-year) due to the lockdowns, private individuals generated more waste in times of lockdown. For example, the amount of organic garbage can, yard and park waste increased by 3.4 percent (351,000 tons) from 2019 to 2020 to a total of 10.7 million tons. Waste from organic garbage cans was largely responsible for the increase, while the amount of garden and park waste rose only slightly. The figures had been determined because Germany had to submit data on self-composting to the European Union for the first time in 2020 due to the EU Waste Framework Directive.
Source and further information: destatis.de
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