Waste management
The Germans enjoy a reputation as World Champion waste separators. In addition to recyclable materials such as paper, metal and glass, organic waste and packaging is also collected separately from the remaining waste. This approach aims to minimise waste and conserve reserves of raw materials.
Waste separation
- Münster's waste management services (AWM) perform the removal of residual and organic waste (grey and brown bins), yellow bag (packaging) and blue paper bins . Bottle banks and 11 recycling centres add to this convenient system. Residual waste, paper and yellow bags are removed every two weeks, and the organic waste bin is emptied on a weekly basis. Pick up times for household waste in the city’s various districts can be found on the disposal calendar. You can have a reminder sent to your mobile phone.
a href="http://abfuhrtermine.stadt-muenster.de/awm/abfallkalender/abfkalen_1.php" target="_blank">abfuhrtermine.stadt-muenster.de/awm/abfallkalender/abfkalen_1.php - AWM, Rösnerstraße 10, ph. 02 51/60 52 53 (service desk)
awm(at)stadt-muenster.de - www.awm.muenster.de
Written information regarding waste disposal issued by the waste management services is available from the Münster Information Point (ground floor, Stadthaus 1, Heinrich-Brüning-Str. 9), the district Administration Offices and the district Citizens' Offices. It can also be ordered online.
- awm.stadt-muenster.de/online-service/download-center.html Information leaflets regarding waste separation are available in several foreign languages.
A brief guide to waste separation
- Grey residual waste bin: light bulbs, hygiene products, cat litter, refuse, sticking-plasters, china, vacuum cleaner bags, nappies, toothbrushes, cigarette ends and cigarette ash
- Brown organic waste bin: kitchen and food waste such as bread and cake leftovers, egg shells, coffee filter papers, fruit and vegetables (including citrus fruits), flowers, leaves, grass cuttings
- Blue paper bin: cardboard files, writing paper and envelopes, books, egg boxes, magazines, cardboard boxes, paper and cardboard packaging, newspapers
- Yellow bag: metal packaging (cans, crown caps), synthetic packaging (clingfilm, foam packaging, yoghurt pots, polystyrene) and composites (milk and fruit juice cartons or tetra packs, frozen food packaging)
- Recyclable glass: This should be separated by colour and placed in the bottle banks located all over the city.
Ordering waste containers
The waste management services provide all premises with the required containers upon request. Bins holding between 35 and 1,100 litres are available. Each household is obliged to use a residual waste bin. Those who prefer to compost their organic waste independently can apply for an organic waste bin exemption. The paper bin is free of charge for private households. Only house-owners, object managers or landlords, and not tenants, are able to order or de-register waste bins.
Recycling centres
Recyclable and bulky goods, smaller electronic devices and problem waste from private households are accepted at 11 recycling centres throughout Münster free of charge. A fee is charged, however, for the submission of residual waste.
Bulky goods
Once a month, bulky household objects such as furniture, carpets and garden waste (placed in a municipal garden waste bag or tied up) are collected by the bulky goods disposal service. Large electronic devices are collected upon request only.
- Bookings can be made online under awm.stadt-muenster.de/wohin-mit-dem-abfall/elektrogeraete.html.
Both services are free of charge.
Avoiding waste
Münster's waste management services offer an online exchange and gift market. Besides, there are exchange boxes at each of the 11 recycling centres. Whatever clients consider too valuable to throw away, can be stowed in those former phone boxes or offered online. There'll surely be somebody who fancies it.