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North Rhine-Westphalia Cities Roll Out 2026 Waste Fee Hikes as Bottrop Finalizes and Cologne Sets Vote

The increases reflect the new CO2 charge on incinerated waste together with higher disposal, transport and wage costs.

Overview

  • Bottrop’s waste fee ordinance is approved for 1 January 2026, lifting annual charges to €162.78 (60‑L), €325.56 (120‑L) and €651.11 (240‑L), with street cleaning up about 3.6% and winter service also rising.
  • In Cologne, the city projects roughly 12.4% higher refuse charges for 2026, with a Stadtrat decision due on 16 December and example bills showing €68–€71 more for a four‑person household and about €130 more for a 240‑L bin in multi‑family buildings, while street cleaning would rise about 3.45%.
  • Large communal and commercial containers face steeper increases, such as Bottrop’s 1,100‑L rate rising to €2,984.26 and 4,500‑L service to €12,208.34 per year.
  • Werne’s administration proposes 2026 sewage rates of €3.10 per m³ for Schmutzwasser and €1.29 per m² for stormwater, taking a model household to €787.70 a year, with most rest‑waste bins edging up while some bio‑bin fees dip slightly.
  • Officials cite the CO2 levy on waste incineration—calculated at up to €70 per tonne versus €55 previously—alongside tariff‑driven wage increases, pricier disposal and transport, lower recyclables revenue and higher depreciation after asset revaluations.