In 2020, Germans generated around 31 kilograms of self-compostable waste per capita. This is according to estimates carried out by the Federal Statistical Office for the first time. Excluding biowaste from agriculture or the manufacturing industry, the total volume of biowaste from the municipal sector amounted to 14.4 million tons in 2020. In addition to self-composted household waste, 11.8 million tons of biowaste were also collected by waste disposal 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 was due to the coronavirus pandemic, during which large kitchens, canteens and restaurants also remained closed during lockdowns.
While commercial kitchens, canteens and restaurants generated around 1.1 million tons less waste in 2020 due to the lockdown (-17.23% compared to the previous year), private individuals generated more waste during the lockdown. The amount of organic waste, garden and park waste increased by 3.4% (351,000 tons) from 2019 to 2020 to a total of 10.7 million tons. The increase was largely due to waste from organic waste garbage cans, while the amount of garden and park waste increased only slightly. The figures were calculated because Germany had to submit data on home 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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