Total waste generation in Germany
Germany: Total waste generation was 966,384 tonnes in 2022. ▼ Falling
Total waste generation in Germany, 2004–2022
Source: United Nations Statistics Division and United Nations Environment Programme – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
In 2022, total waste generation in Germany stood at 966,384 tonnes.
The figure is down 3.8% on the previous year and up 48.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total waste generation in Germany peaked at 1.52 million tonnes in 2006 and was at its lowest, 256,272 tonnes, in 2010.
That places Germany 15th out of 62 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 10 years of available data.
Total waste generation in Germany, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 1.23 million tonnes | — |
| 2006 | 1.52 million tonnes | +23.5% |
| 2008 | 1.35 million tonnes | -10.9% |
| 2010 | 256,272 tonnes | -81.0% |
| 2012 | 648,869 tonnes | +153.2% |
| 2014 | 438,829 tonnes | -32.4% |
| 2016 | 1.13 million tonnes | +156.6% |
| 2018 | 982,106 tonnes | -12.8% |
| 2020 | 1.00 million tonnes | +2.3% |
| 2022 | 966,384 tonnes | -3.8% |
Germany compared with similar countries
- Germany's 966,384 tonnes is above the median for high income countries, which is 293,977 tonnes, 3.3× the median. (39 countries reporting)
- Germany's 966,384 tonnes is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 289,947 tonnes, 3.3× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 1.36 million tonnes | 1.23 million tonnes | 1.52 million tonnes | 3 |
| 2010s | 690,441 tonnes | 256,272 tonnes | 1.13 million tonnes | 5 |
| 2020s | 985,357 tonnes | 966,384 tonnes | 1.00 million tonnes | 2 |
Countries ranked near Germany
More environment data for Germany
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -4.12 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -4.36 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.613 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.11 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -1.65 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate -0.0079 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total waste generation in Germany?
- Total waste generation in Germany was 966,384 tonnes in 2022, according to United Nations Statistics Division and United Nations Environment Programme – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total waste generation recorded in Germany?
- The highest recorded value was 1.52 million tonnes in 2006.
- What is the lowest total waste generation recorded in Germany?
- The lowest recorded value was 256,272 tonnes in 2010.
- How does Germany rank for total waste generation?
- Germany ranks 15th out of 62 countries with data for 2022.
- Is total waste generation rising or falling in Germany?
- Over the last ten years it is up 48.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Germany data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division and United Nations Environment Programme – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Total waste generation. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 10 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total waste generation, by activity (Tonnes).