Recycling rates are stable. In 2024, around 5.5 million tonnes of packaging waste collected by the dual systems were recycled once again. Five of the eight recycling targets were met, in some cases even exceeded. As in previous years, packaging made of paper/cardboard, tinplate, aluminium and plastics met the statutory targets. By contrast, the targets for beverage cartons, glass packaging and composite packaging were once again clearly missed.
Recycling rate for plastic packaging at 70 percent
At the press conference, UBA and ZSVR used current facts and figures to debunk widespread myths about packaging recycling. A key misconception: Germany recycles only very small amounts of plastic packaging.
The truth is that the rate of material recycling for plastic has risen from 42 percent in 2018 to 70 percent. “We are particularly pleased about this development. That is almost 30 percentage points more than in 2018. For the first time, more than 70 percent of plastic packaging was sent for material recycling,” says Dr Bettina Rechenberg, Head of the Circular Economy Division at UBA. “This allows us to clearly debunk the misconception that everything is incinerated anyway.”
Sorting facilities separate packaging by type
A widespread assumption among the public: Almost everything that ends up in the yellow bag or yellow bin ends up being incinerated anyway! The truth is that more than half of the contents of the yellow bin were sent for recycling. Recycling works in a measurable and reliable way. Modern sorting facilities can sort the contents systematically. Non-recyclable packaging and mis-sorted items are predominantly used for energy recovery, with incineration used to generate energy. It is also important to note: Even the most efficient sorting facility cannot produce new plastic from trainers, vacuum cleaner bags, inflatable armbands or similar mis-sorted items.
