Germany recycles more than almost anywhere else in the world — and takes it seriously enough to fine persistent offenders. Getting it wrong means your bin won’t be collected. Here is the essential guide.
Pfand — The Bottle Deposit
Many plastic and glass bottles carry a deposit (Pfand) of 8–25 cents, marked on the label. Return them to any supermarket’s Pfandautomat (return machine) for credit on your next purchase. Not all bottles qualify — still water in glass, wine bottles, and most juice cartons do not. Ignoring Pfand is the most immediate way to lose small amounts of money consistently in Germany.
The Four Bins
- Restmüll (grey/black): Everything that doesn’t fit elsewhere — ceramics, nappies, contaminated packaging, bathroom waste.
- Papier (blue): Clean paper and cardboard — newspapers, boxes, paper bags. No greasy pizza boxes.
- Gelber Sack / Gelbe Tonne (yellow): All plastic, metal, and composite packaging — yogurt tubs, shampoo bottles, cans, Tetra Pak, aluminum foil, plastic film.
- Biotonne (brown): Food scraps and organic matter — vegetable peelings, coffee grounds, eggshells. No meat in some regions.
Glass
Glass goes to communal Glascontainer on your street, sorted by colour (white, green, brown). No glass after 10pm — noise rules apply strictly in Germany.
Electronics and Batteries
Return old electronics to supermarkets (Rewe, Saturn, MediaMarkt) or a Wertstoffhof (recycling centre). Batteries go in the small boxes at supermarket entrances.
