Anyone clearing out their household may dispose of anything that does not fit into a residual waste bin and clearly represents a defective or disused household item as so-called bulky waste. This also applies to furniture and furnishings. There are rules and regulations for proper disposal. In the following article, you will receive valuable information and tips on the subject of bulky waste collection and bulky waste removal.

Bulky waste disposal: What is allowed and what is forbidden? Tips for bulky waste disposal.

There are specific regulations for every type of waste regarding proper disposal. This also applies to bulky waste disposal. For example, household waste can go into the black bin, organic waste into the compost bin, and packaging as recyclables into the recycling bin or the yellow bag/bin. When it comes to disposing of bulky waste, it is not quite that simple. It is too bulky for the residual waste bin – hence its name. Other measures must be taken for its proper disposal. This is where municipal waste disposal services or professional bulky waste removal companies come into play.

Sources of bulky waste

A lot of waste often accumulates during upcoming moves, emigrations, or deaths. As long as these are household quantities, this is not a problem. The bulky waste collection service handles this. However, especially during household clearances, large amounts of bulky waste often accumulate.

What is bulky waste?

Although every municipality determines for itself what exactly is allowed in the bulky waste or must be disposed of at the recycling center, the rough rules are the same everywhere. By definition, items that go into bulky waste must be "movable". This means that if you can move with the item, it is bulky waste.

What is taken with the bulky waste?

The bulky waste collection service takes items such as furniture from the apartment and from the terrace or garden. These items must be of such a nature that they can be loaded by hand during collection. Everything that does not belong to household waste and does not fit into the waste bin is taken during collection.

Items such as:

• Furniture such as armchairs, sofas, bed frames
• Mattresses, carpets
• Lamps
• Strollers, child car seats
• Bicycles, skis, tents

Info

Electronic waste can be registered and put out for collection in household quantities within the scope of the bulky waste collection service.

What does not count as bulky waste?

There are a few very clear criteria regarding recycling in the bulky waste sector.

The following items and waste clearly do not belong in the area of bulky waste disposal.

• Construction site waste: Construction site waste includes, among other things, old windows, insulation materials, any building rubble, old wallpaper with plaster residues, etc.
• Mineral waste: This mainly includes bathroom ceramics but also natural stone slabs and plasterboard.
• Hazardous waste: Hazardous waste is understood primarily as dangerous, toxic, and explosive waste such as batteries, varnishes and paints, disinfectants, pesticides, insecticides, acids, oil-containing liquids, alkalis, and photo chemicals.
• Small parts: Small parts that fit into a residual waste bin can be disposed of via this.

Info

Individual municipalities have different views on which items belong in the bulky waste collection and which do not. Anyone who obtains relevant information here before disposing of bulky waste is definitely on the safe side.

Bulky waste disposal – How do I do it right?

There are various ways to feed bulky waste items into the recycling cycle.

Who picks up my old sofa for free?

There is a free collection of bulky waste. This takes place once a year and is carried out by a company commissioned by the municipality. The dates are announced by the municipalities or assigned directly by the disposal company upon request.

What do I have to consider with free bulky waste disposal?

As a rule, you place the waste on the roadside the evening before disposal by arrangement. It is not desired that furniture, mattresses, and the like stand outside for days or weeks. This only attracts vermin and burdens the environment. In addition, care must be taken to ensure that only items are put out that actually count as bulky waste and have also been registered beforehand. So you must not simply add any other rubbish in the hope that the bulky waste collection will take it. It definitely will not. Thus, you are always responsible for the removal of the waste yourself in the end. If you leave the rubbish on the roadside, you face heavy fines from the municipalities.

Bring disposal goods to the recycling centers yourself?

As already mentioned, you can of course bring your waste to one of the nearby recycling centers yourself at any time. In some municipalities, these are also called waste treatment plants. To find out how much waste you are allowed to deliver here, simply inquire by phone or on the websites of your municipality or the homepage of the waste treatment plant.

What can you hand in at the recycling center?

Everything that is otherwise taken by the bulky waste collection can be handed in there free of charge. For this purpose, there are special containers or storage areas for the different types of waste at the recycling centers. This makes the automatic separation of wood and furniture, lamps, electrical appliances, and scrap metal easy.

What is a "loose collection"?

Every private household can apply for a "loose collection" of bulky waste in its municipality. For this, you usually receive so-called bulky waste cards at the beginning of the year along with a corresponding brochure or the waste calendar. These cards are filled out, signed, and sent back to the company. At the time of collection, you will receive an appointment so that the waste can be put out in time. It should be noted here that the volume and weight of the bulky waste are limited and weight excesses lead to fee calculations.

When do I need a bulky waste container?

If you are planning a larger clearing action or a complete household clearance including attic and cellar rooms, a lot of waste will accumulate. As a private individual, you usually do not have the suitable means of transport to bring such large quantities of bulky waste to a recycling center yourself. In such situations, you need a bulky waste container.

Where do I get a bulky waste container?

A mixed container is best suited for the disposal of bulky waste on your own. You can rent a container from appropriate companies. This can be done in person at an office, by phone, or via a contact form on the company's website. When ordering, you can find out what and how much you are allowed to put in the container. Above all, ask how full the container is allowed to be. If you overload the container, the disposal company will not take it, but will charge you for the travel costs. And you will then have to unload some of the container again.

The costs for a container

The costs for the container are made up of travel costs, rental costs, and disposal costs. If you do not have time to carry out the removal of your bulky waste yourself, you can also commission a disposal company like Wirentsorgen.de at a fixed price instead of renting a container. Then you don't have to worry about anything other than an appointment.

Bulky waste costs: How expensive is bulky waste?

The topic of bulky waste is not uniformly regulated. In some municipalities, there are fixed dates for free bulky waste collection by the municipality. However, anyone who wants to dispose of bulky waste outside of the specified dates will be asked to pay for it.

Where can I find information?

On the websites of the individual municipalities, you will often find information about the free standard bulky waste service and the chargeable services. In some cities and municipalities, you also pay a fee for an actually free standard bulky waste collection. How high this is cannot be said in general terms. Often a flat rate between €20.00 and €50.00 is due for up to three cubic meters. Some municipalities then charge €5.00 for each additional cubic meter.

What does a container cost?

Containers for bulky waste can be ordered in different sizes, depending on how much waste accumulates. The prices depend on the size and are calculated per cubic meter. Here, the large providers range between €60.00 – €150.00 / cubic meter. In addition, there are costs for travel and collection and in some cases also the standing time. In addition, a parking fee from the respective municipality may be added for placing the container on public streets and squares. Thus, even for a small container of 5 cubic meters, between €300.00 and €1000.00 can accumulate.

How much bulky waste is "household quantity"?

The generalizing term "household quantity" is interpreted somewhat differently by every municipality. A 5-person household can actually be meant, while other municipalities only tolerate the amount of one room. There are even municipalities where only commercial facilities fall under the term bulky waste. Therefore, it is always important to inquire in advance at your own municipality or city administration about the customs and regulations.

Does your bulky waste deserve a second life?

Again and again, you see bulky waste standing on streets that still makes a very good impression and where you wonder why people are putting it into waste disposal. What is bulky waste for one person can mean salvation in an emergency for another. So instead of throwing everything away, it would be possible to give the good items to charitable organizations or to give them away on eBay. Homeless aid associations or migrant shelters might be happy about one or the other well-preserved sofa. However, you should only offer things that you would put in your own apartment yourself.