Overview
- Destatis published preliminary figures showing total waste in 2024 at 362.7 million tonnes, down 17.4 million tonnes or 4.6 percent from 2023.
- Construction and demolition waste fell most sharply, dropping 8.1 percent to 182.8 million tonnes and still accounting for about half of all waste.
- Germany’s overall recovery rate remained unchanged at 82 percent in 2024, with 69 percent recovered as material and 13 percent used for energy.
- Of the leftover waste in 2024, 16.3 percent was landfilled and 0.8 percent was thermally disposed, and small shifts occurred across sectors such as a rise in extraction-related waste and a slight increase in household waste.
- The 2024 results are preliminary and available in Destatis tables online, with the full Abfallbilanz report and detailed final statistics scheduled for publication in July 2026.