How to dispose of construction waste

Construction waste is recyclable if it consists of 100% mineral materials. Examples include concrete, floor tiles, bricks, ceramics, masonry, paving stones, natural stone, sandstone, gravel, grit and ballast. It must contain no non-recyclable materials whatsoever – e.g. soil, insulating materials, AAC, plaster, glass, wood, wallpaper. 

Private households can take up to one cubic meter of recyclable construction waste to any recycling yard, for a fee. Quantities of more than one cubic meter can be taken to Wieblingen recycling yard/waste management plant. Alternatively, you may wish to use a private company for disposing of this waste. 

Costs from 2024

‘Non-recyclable construction waste’ is mineral waste that is contaminated with pumice, plaster, AAC or excavated earth. It must be absolutely free from non-mineral substances like roofing felt, wire, glass, wood, insulating materials, cables, etc. 

Private households can take up to 100 kilograms (approx. five buckets) of non-recyclable construction waste to any recycling yard. Larger quantities up to 1,000 kg can be taken to Wieblingen recycling yard/waste management plant, or another approved location.

Costs from 2024

Building materials based on asbestos cement (e.g. roof tiles, window boxes) and mineral wool (e.g. glass wool/rock wool) are classed as ‘waste requiring special monitoring’ (überwachungsbedürftige Abfälle). These materials can only be disposed of according to a special procedure in which a certificate (Übernahmeschein) is issued. These types of waste are accepted by Wieblingen recycling yard/waste management plant. 
For full details of how to dispose of them, contact Wieblingen waste disposal plant on phone +49 6221 58-29602.

Pollutants from privat households like dyes, paints, varnishes, solvents, wood preservatives, etc. can be taken free of charge to Kirchheim or Wieblingen recycling yard. If possible please bring these pollutants in their original containers and unmixed with any other substances. If you no longer have the original container, you should clearly label the container you are using, and make sure that it cannot leak. 

Bulky items like flooring materials, wood, metal and furniture can be picked up from outside your home by the bulky waste (Sperrmüll) disposal service. Households are entitled to two free collections of bulky items a year (maximum 3 cubic meters per collection). You need to book a collection at least four weeks before the desired collection date. This is easy to do using the online form.

Kirchheim, Wieblingen and Emmertsgrund recycling yards for flat glass, wood, furniture, carpets and other bulky items

Alternatively, bulky waste can be taken to Kirchheim, Wieblingen or Emmertsgrund recycling yard. A charge applies for this, and the volume is limited to one cubic meter per household. Handschuhsheim and Ziegelhausen recycling yards do not accept bulky waste. 

Costs

Construction sites also produce waste that cannot be recycled, for example wallpaper, textile membranes, and contaminated recyclable materials.
These go in the normal residual waste bin at the property. If the bin is not big enough, you can buy bags for residual waste from the local administrative offices (Bürgerämter) for putting any excess in. These bags must be placed on the edge of the road by 6 am on the day of collection.
 

You can dispose of the packaging materials produced on a construction site – e.g. cardboard boxes and empty paint pots – in the recycling bins located at the property itself (yellow bags/yellow bin/paper bin). Packaging materials and other recyclables in normal household quantities, such as plastics, metals and polystyrene, can alternatively be taken free of charge to a recycling yard. Please make sure the materials are clean and correctly sorted by type. 

The recycling yards are marked on the online map of the city.You can also find how to get to them by using the city’s official smartphone app,  ‘Mein Heidelberg’ (My Heidelberg).

*The recycling yards are closed on Sundays and national holidays.