A long word with a lot behind it…
The Frankfurt Waste Management System
Waste is more than just what ends up in the bin – it tells stories about resources, energy, and cycles. Around 280,000 tons of municipal waste are generated in Frankfurt every year, ranging from organic waste, paper, glass, and packaging to electrical appliances and bulky waste. Each of these waste streams has its own path – whether it is reused, recycled or, where no other option is available, converted into energy.
With the goal of becoming a true zero waste city, Frankfurt is committed to modern waste management: resource-efficient, transparent, and dedicated. This page shows what happens to the most important types of waste. After all, sorting waste properly helps to conserve raw materials, protect the climate, and keep the city clean. And sometimes change starts with a simple look in the trash can.
Residual waste
What remains is converted into heat.
The residual waste from the black bin ends up at the waste-to-energy plant in Frankfurt. There it is incinerated and converted into electricity and district heating. The problem is that a lot of recyclable materials still end up in residual waste. This is expensive, harmful to the climate, and could easily be avoided.
What happens here at over 1,000°C...
Residual waste is what remains after sorting – typically hygiene products, heavily soiled packaging, or other non-recyclable waste. In Frankfurt, this “mix” is thermally recycled at the Nordweststadt waste-to-energy plant at temperatures exceeding 1,000°C. This process generates energy that supplies thousands of households with electricity and district heating.
The plant processes around 525,000 tons of waste annually. Each ton produces an average of around 500 kWh of electricity and 1,200 kWh of heat—enough energy for around three average households.
hat counts: Up to 30% of residual waste is actually recyclable – organic waste, paper, and packaging in particular often end up in the black bin by mistake. Careful sorting reduces the burden on power plants, lowers costs, and brings Frankfurt a big step closer to its zero-waste goal.
Organic waste
Energy from apple cores
In Frankfurt, organic waste is not incinerated but fermented. Rhein-Main Biokompost GmbH processes it into biogas and compost – in a climate-friendly and efficient manner. The biogas produced flows into the natural gas grid, while the compost returns to Frankfurt’s gardens. A real win-win situation for the city and the environment
What can be achieved in Frankfurt in just 21 days...
Frankfurt’s organic waste is processed in the state-of-the-art fermentation plant of RMB Rhein-Main Biokompost GmbH in the Osthafen district. In just 21 days, kitchen scraps, green waste, and other organic waste are turned into valuable biogas and nutrient-rich compost.
The plant produces an average of 140% of its own electricity requirements and feeds the surplus into the grid. The heat generated is also used—a prime example of combined heat and power generation
At the same time, around 15,000 tons of wood chips are produced annually from Frankfurt’s green waste – after a short storage period, they are ready for use as energy or mulch material.
What matters: No plastic in the organic waste bin! Even small amounts of contaminants can hinder the fermentation process and significantly reduce the quality of valuable compost. And that would be a real shame—because organic waste not only produces fertile soil, but also climate-friendly energy. A closed, regional cycle that strengthens our soil, saves fossil fuels, and helps reduce greenhouse gases.
Paper/cardboard/cardboard
Waste paper is recycled up to four times
Waste paper is collected separately in Frankfurt, processed at the Fechenheim sorting plant, and reused in the paper industry. Important: Only clean paper and cardboard belong in the green bin – soiled cardboard or coated packaging disrupt the recycling process.
Not made of cardboard ...
Paper is a true recycling miracle – it can be recycled up to 6 times. In Frankfurt, your waste paper ends up in the FES sorting hall in Fechenheim – a facility as large as a soccer field, or more precisely, 4,000 m² of space dedicated to the future of paper. Up to 130,000 tons of waste paper are processed here every year, about half of which comes from Frankfurt households
The path of paper:
- Rough sorting: Wheel loaders transport the mountains of paper between conveyor belts, where cardboard and foreign materials are pre-sorted.
- Fine sorting: Automatic systems with cameras, color sensors, and screens detect and separate different types of paper.
- Manual follow-up check: Employees sort the paper to recover what is known as “deinking” paper. This is high-quality recycled paper from which ink can be removed without leaving any residue, making it ideal for newspaper printing.
- The end result is compact paper bales weighing 1 tonne, which are delivered to paper mills in the Rhine-Main region.
What counts: The facility can also be visited—for example, as part of guided tours for school classes (from grade 9 onwards). These tours offer exciting insights into sorting technology—from robotics to manual work.
Lightweight packaging (yellow bin)
Proper sorting is half the battle when it comes to recycling.
In Frankfurt, the yellow bin is reserved for sales packaging made of plastic, metal, or composite materials—for example, yogurt cups, food cans, Tetra Paks, or bottle caps. The empty packaging does not have to be rinsed until it is sparkling clean; “emptied” is sufficient. However, excessive soiling interferes with the recycling process.
How real professionals separate themselves in Frankfurt...
Depending on their needs, households have access to bins of various sizes (120–1,100 l) or yellow bags.
The packaging is carefully separated in sorting plants:
- Metals: Tinplate is removed using magnets, aluminum using eddy currents.
- Plastics & composites: Using near-infrared sensors and camera technology, machines identify various materials such as PET, PE, films, or beverage cartons.
- Manual work: Employees sort out contaminants such as dirty packaging or incorrect items.
- Recycling: Clean fractions are used to make new products, such as films, plastic profiles, or recycled lids. Mixed plastics are used to generate energy or undergo chemical recycling.
Improperly disposed waste is a persistent problem: Even in Frankfurt, residual waste, especially, glass or cardboard still too often ends up in the yellow bin. This complicates sorting and lowers the recycling rate.
What counts: Zero waste starts at home: Those who separate waste properly keep materials in the cycle and make a very concrete contribution to conserving resources. This is because recycled packaging consumes less energy than newly produced packaging—for example, recycled aluminum saves up to 95% energy. Less new production also means fewer emissions—and less waste in incineration.
Electrical appliances
Electronic waste? No: a source of raw materials!
Whether it’s a toaster or a tablet, electrical appliances contain valuable raw materials such as copper, aluminum, and rare earth elements. Disposing of them correctly—for example, at a GWR recycling center, a recycling center, or via a mobile small electrical appliance collection service—gives them the chance of a second life. Sometimes even as a refurbished second-hand appliance.
How FFM mitigates risks and ensures bargains ...
Electronic waste is both a source of raw materials and an environmental hazard. In Frankfurt, there are many ways for proper disposal: through retailers, the FES trunk service, stationary recycling centers, mobile collections, or bulky waste collection.
Subsequently, specialized companies like GWR GmbH take over
- Function test: Devices that are still in working order are tested, repaired, and sold as inexpensive second-hand goods via platforms such as reYOUrs.
- Disassembly: Defective devices are disassembled into individual parts – from circuit boards and plastic casings to display screens.
Recovery: The contained raw materials such as copper, aluminum, or rare metals are extracted and returned to the industrial recycling cycle. This saves up to 90% CO₂ compared to extracting new materials.
What counts: In addition, the FES is running information campaigns—for schools and community centers, for example—to increase collection rates and prevent items from being thrown away in the wrong place. This is because many old devices still end up in the wrong bin or gather dust in drawers, meaning they are lost to the recycling cycle.
Old glass
A clear case for clean recycling
Used glass can be recycled indefinitely – every ton saves up to 1.2 tons of primary raw materials and 10% energy. In Frankfurt, used glass is collected separately by color so that old bottles can be turned into new ones. This works with almost no loss – but only if no porcelain, window glass, or heavily soiled glass ends up in the container. Lids can stay on, by the way – they are sorted out separately.
Whether the lid can go in the container ...
There are over 1,300 glass containers in Frankfurt, separated into white, green, and brown glass. In addition, underground containers in central locations ensure clean collection. Emptying is carried out by FES, usually every 14 days, or more frequently if necessary.
The journey of glass
- AnliefeDelivery: The collected glass is taken to the waste transfer station (AUA) in Fechenheim.
- Pre-sorting: Automatic and manual processes remove coarse contaminants such as ceramics, porcelain, stones, and metal parts.
- Metal separation: Metal closures are sorted out using magnetic and eddy current technology – so lids can remain on the glass.
- Crushing & cleaning: The glass is crushed into fragments (<60 mm), dried, and organic residues are removed.
- Optical sorting: Color cameras and air jets precisely separate glass by color and remove any remaining contaminants.
- Recycling: The high-quality glass shards are pressed into bales and sent to glassworks, where they are melted down and turned into new bottles or glassware.
Glass Counts: A True Recycling Champion
Recycling glass is a great example of how smart sorting helps save energy and raw materials—while protecting the environment in multiple ways.
If you need to dispose of glass in uncommon colors like red or blue, it’s best to place it in the green glass container.
But be careful: Incorrect items like ceramics, window glass, or vases are a constant problem. They can disrupt the entire recycling process.
textiles
Who will carry me on?
Clothing that is still wearable does not belong in the trash, but in a clothing donation bin – preferably clean and sorted. Items in good condition can be donated to thrift stores such as “Neufundland” or initiatives such as Teilerei. Items that are no longer wearable are recycled – for example, into cleaning rags or insulation material.
How even the most torn pants live on...
There are hundreds of used clothing containers in Frankfurt, supplemented by social institutions such as Neufundland and platforms such as Teilerei, which redistributed over 8,000 items of clothing in its first year alone.
The journey of clothing:
- Reuse: Clothing in good condition is sorted, cleaned, and resold—either regionally or internationally. Secondhand stores, charity shops, and charitable projects extend the life of every item of clothing.
- Recycling: Heavily worn textiles are processed into industrial fibers, insulation materials, or cleaning rags. Here, too, the rule is: the more sorted, the better.
- Sorting: Separation takes place in specialized facilities—both manually and mechanically. This is where it is decided what will be worn again and what will be recycled as material.
What counts: Textiles are a raw material with a history—and a future. Disposing of them properly not only contributes to the circular economy, but also promotes social projects, creates jobs, and saves resources. And sometimes an old sweater finds a new home with someone else, perhaps just a street away.
bulky waste
The sofa goes up in flames – officially
If furniture is too big for the bin, bulky waste collection is the answer. In Frankfurt, there are free collections – simply register. Well-preserved pieces find new owners, while the rest usually ends up in the waste incineration plant. Those who give away instead of burn save CO₂ and resources.
That's free in our city...
It’s Free in Our City
Residents of Frankfurt can schedule bulky waste pickup at no cost. If your old furniture is still in good shape, consider donating it to Neufundland, where it can bring joy to someone else.
What happens to bulky waste?
Items left out for pickup are loaded into a compactor truck and taken to a sorting facility. There, materials are roughly separated into different waste streams—metals, for example, are sent for recycling. The remaining waste goes to the waste-to-energy plant, where it’s incinerated at over 1,000 °C and converted into electricity and district heating for Frankfurt households.
Wichtig: Es gibt ganz genaue Vorgaben, was zum Sperrmüll gehört. Es gibt ganz genaue Vorgaben, was zum Sperrmüll gehört. Schadstoffe wie Farben, Lacke oder Lösungsmittel sind kein Sperrmüll und müssen unbedingt separat über das Schadstoffmobil oder die Wertstoffhöfe Nord und West entsorgt werden.
The facts: 28,000 tons of bulky waste were collected in Frankfurt in 2023. However, the proportion of reusable items can be significantly increased through more targeted pre-sorting and conscious disposal. An old cupboard doesn’t have to go up in flames—often all you need is a screwdriver, and a new household will be happy. Checking early on whether furniture can be passed on saves resources and gives things a second life.
Pollutants & batteries
Please don’t throw it in the trash!
Whether batteries, paints, oils, or other hazardous substances—they do not belong in household waste. In Frankfurt, they can be disposed of free of charge at the hazardous waste collection vehicle, recycling centers, or special collection points. In this way, we can work together to protect the environment, our health, and our groundwater.
How much can be given to the pollutant collection vehicles per household per day ...
Improperly disposed of hazardous substances can contaminate soil, water, and groundwater—with long-term consequences for the environment and health.
Frankfurt therefore has a comprehensive network for the disposal of hazardous waste:
- Pollutant collection vehicles regularly tour all districts.
- Fixed collection points at recycling centers also accept normal household quantities.
- Collection containers for batteries are also available in retail stores, at recycling centers, and in many public buildings.
What counts: Up to 100 kg per day and household can be disposed of free of charge and professionally in Frankfurt (businesses: only with prior registration). All materials are separated, neutralized, or recycled in specialized facilitie