Imports of residue from waste sorting installations and of household waste in particular dropped significantly due to the fact that the Ordinance on Environmentally Compatible Storage of Waste from Human Settlements and on Biological Waste-Treatment Facilities entered into force in June 2005. However, the increase in imports of anorganic and mineral waste has virtually counterbalanced this regression.

The marked increase in waste exports can be explained in part by the regulation which went into effect, for it led to a shortage of disposal options for biodegradable waste in Germany. These wastes were for the most part transported to neighbouring western European countries. The export to disposal facilities in eastern European countries with poor environmental technologies which was initially feared did not—save a few exceptions- take place.

Most imported waste continues to come from the Netherlands (2.3 mt), Italy (1.0 mt) and evermore from Ireland (560,000 t); followed by Switzerland (380,000 t), France, Belgium and Austria (at about 300,000 t each). Imports consisted mainly of slag, ash, and filter dust (1.0 mt), treated wood residues (1.0 mt), contaminated soil (570,000 t), liquid manure and sewage sludge (490,000 t), sorted waste (still at 400,000 t despite the steep decline), as well as waste oil and solvents (240,000 t).

Germany’s main exports were sorted waste (510,000 t), unsorted household waste (260,000 t), horse manure (250,000 t), waste from treated wood (220,000 t), as well as slag, ash, and filter dust (160,000 t). Main destinations were the Netherlands (390,000 t), waste disposal facilities in Switzerland (340,000 t), followed by Belgium and France (about 300,000 t each). Of all waste exports to eastern Europe, only a 140,000-tonne volume incinerated in Polish cement works was of significance.

Most of the waste imported into Germany was recycled (2.7 mt), incinerated (1.6 mt) or stored in landfills (600,000 t). German waste exports were disposed of largely by means of materials recovery (1.1 mt) or incineration (700,000 t).

As concerns transport routes there are clear differences. The average distance between waste accumulation sites abroad and German disposal facilities was roughly 450 kilometres, an all-time high. This owes mainly to the current high import volume from Ireland. Transport routes for German exports are considerably shorter: an average 230 kilometres.

The trade volume in waste not subject to authorisation also rose as compared to the previous year. According to preliminary figures released by the Federal Statistical Office, exports amount to 18.1 million tonnes, and exports total 12.2 million tonnes. The increase over 2005 is approximately 13 percent for exports and 15 percent for imports.

Detailed statistics and more information are available on the Internet at:

http://www.umweltbundesamt.de/abfallwirtschaft/abfallstatistik/basel.htm and http://www.umweltbundesamt.de/abfallwirtschaft/abfallstatistik/index.htm.