Recycling is known as the ‘seventh resource’ because it allows essential raw materials to be used over and over again, reducing the consumption of primary materials. It also makes a huge contribution to reducing CO₂ emissions: According to the Global Recycling Foundation, global recycling saves over 700 million tonnes of CO₂ every year – and projections suggest that this could rise to 1 billion tonnes by 2030. But what is the situation in Germany and around the world?

Recycling in Germany: Progress and Challenges

Germany is one of the leading recycling nations and has already surpassed the EU’s minimum recycling rate of 55% for municipal waste by 2025. The current recycling rate for municipal waste in Germany is over 74% – a significant improvement on previous figures (Federal Environment Agency).

Despite this positive development, packaging waste remains an issue. In 2022, 19 million tonnes of packaging waste will be generated in Germany – a decrease of 3.4% compared to the previous year. Although the total amount has decreased, the figures remain at a high level. The recycling rate for plastic packaging from the Yellow Bag reached 68.9% in 2023, a record level (ZSVR, UBA).

Plastic waste is also a key issue. In 2021, 5.67 million tonnes of plastic waste will be generated in Germany. While the recycling rate for plastic packaging from households is now 68.9%, the overall recycling rate for plastics is still lower. The rest is incinerated or used for energy recovery – a practice that generates energy but does not promote a sustainable circular economy.

Recycling rates for other materials are particularly high: paper (85.1%), glass (80.3%) and ferrous metals (86.7%).

There is a particular need for action when it comes to electronic waste. By 2021, Germany will have collected around one million tonnes of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). While 86.1% of this was recycled, the collection rate of 65% was still below the legal target. WEEE contains valuable raw materials such as copper, aluminium and rare earths, which could be recovered through more efficient recycling.

Recycling in the EU and Worldwide

Recycling rates vary considerably across the EU. According to Eurostat, the average recycling rate for municipal waste in the EU in 2021 was only 49.6%, which is significantly lower than the German figures (Eurostat).

The amount of packaging waste per person in the EU in 2022 will be 189 kg per year. The new EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) requires stricter targets:

• Member States must recycle at least 65% of their packaging waste by 2025.
• Specific quotas for different materials should ensure that glass, plastics, metals and paper are reused in greater quantities.

Plastic waste is a global problem: 400 million tonnes of plastic waste is produced every year, of which between 4.8 and 12.7 million tonnes ends up in the oceans. Plastic pollution in the oceans is one of the most serious environmental threats and endangers many ecosystems.

While Europe has a glass recycling rate of around 80 per cent, North America only achieves 31 per cent. Glass, paper and metal in particular have great potential for increased recycling.

World Recycling Day 2025 highlights that everyone can contribute to sustainability by making conscious consumption choices and disposing of waste correctly. By acting together, we can strengthen the circular economy and preserve the environment for future generations.

Sources and Further Information:

• Umweltbundesamt – Zahlen und Fakten zum Recycling in Deutschland
• Global Recycling Day – Infos zur „Siebten Ressource“ und weltweiten Recyclinginitiativen
• Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) – Recyclingquoten und Abfallstatistiken für Deutschland und Europa
• Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) – Internationale Entwicklungen und Recyclingtrends
• European Environment Agency (EEA) – Berichte zur Kreislaufwirtschaft und Abfallvermeidung in Europa