Abfallwirtschaft in Deutschland 2025

The circular economy aims to reduce resource consumption by using raw materials as efficiently as possible and preserving them for the economy in the long term. It ranges from the extraction of raw materials to product design, production, trade, and consumption, and finally to closing the loops through reuse and recycling. The circular economy thus goes beyond the "recycling economy", which views the economic cycle from the perspective of closing cycles – so from waste. It also encompasses issues of raw material supply, procurement, eco-design, and waste prevention.

This brochure aims to show what citizens are achieving together with their local authorities and the business community, and to provide an example for countries that want to close their material cycles in an ecologically sound manner. After all, the circular economy is above all an international task to which German companies, scientific institutions, and local practitioners can contribute with their expertise, services, and modern technologies.