The bins (colours vary slightly by city)
| Bin | What goes in | Not in |
|---|---|---|
| Gelbe Tonne / Gelber Sack (yellow) | Packaging made of plastic, metal or composite: yoghurt pots, cans, Tetra Paks, foil, clean-ish plastic packaging | Non-packaging plastic (toys, buckets), paper |
| Blaue Tonne (blue) | Paper, cardboard (flattened), newspapers | Pizza boxes with grease, receipts (thermal paper), used tissues |
| Biotonne (brown/green) | Food scraps, coffee grounds, garden waste | Plastic bags — including "compostable" ones in many cities; since May 2025 contaminated bio bins may be left unemptied |
| Restmüll (grey/black) | Everything else: nappies, vacuum bags, ashes, broken porcelain, receipts | Batteries, electronics, hazardous waste |
| Glass containers (street) | Bottles and jars sorted by white, green, brown — blue and other colours go in green | Drinking glasses, window glass, porcelain, Pfand bottles |
Glass container hours: usually weekdays 7:00–20:00. Never on Sundays or public holidays — the noise disturbs neighbours.
Special waste
- Batteries: return boxes at supermarkets and drugstores.
- Electronics: take to the Wertstoffhof (recycling centre) or return to large shops — shops with 400+ m² of electronics space, and supermarkets with 800+ m² that sell electronics, must take back small devices (<25 cm) for free.
- Furniture and large items (Sperrmüll): book a collection with your city (often free once or twice a year) or take it to the Wertstoffhof. Don't leave items on the street without a booked date — that's illegal dumping, with fines.
- Paint, chemicals, energy-saving bulbs: hazardous-waste collection (Schadstoffmobil).
- Medicines: usually Restmüll; check your city's rules.
Make it easy
Download your city's Abfallkalender (collection calendar app). Check the Hausordnung for bin duties — some buildings rotate bin-putting-out between tenants.