Total packaging
Consumption, recycling quota 2023 (kilo tonnes) for the Federal Republic of Germany
Generation and recycling of packaging waste in 2023 in kilotonnes (kt) for the Federal Republic of Germany The recycling rates in this table reflect mechanical recycling. The end product of mechanical recycling can replace equivalent new materials or be kept available for further material use. The key data point for calculating recycling rates is input into the final recycling process.
Note: Reporting on recycling requirements under Article 6 of Directive 94/62/EC
| Packaging material | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glass consumption | 3.135,2 | 3.086,9 | 2.991,5 | 2.914,0 |
| Volume recycled | 2.497,3 | 2.479,9 | 2.394,9 | 2.349,3 |
| Recycling quota in percent | 79,6 | 80,3 | 80 | 80,6 |
| Aluminium consumption | 160,6 | 162,9 | 166,8 | 176 |
| Volume recycled | 99,8 | 101,6 | 106 | 119,6 |
| Recycling quota in percent | 62,1 | 62,3 | 63,5 | 68 |
| Ferrous metals consumption | 520,5 | 522,1 | 516,9 | 499,2 |
| Volume recycled | 446,8 | 441,1 | 438,6 | 426,3 |
| Recycling quota in percent | 85,8 | 84,5 | 84,9 | 85,4 |
| Total other steel consumption | 307,9 | 281,4 | 307,9 | 281,4 |
| Volume recycled | 277,1 | 250,8 | 277,1 | 250,8 |
| Recycling quota in percent | 90 | 89,2 | 90 | 89,2 |
| Total metals consumption | 1.002,1 | 1.018,7 | 991,6 | 956,6 |
| Volume recycled | 835,8 | 843,2 | 822 | 796,8 |
| Recycling quota in percent | 83,4 | 82,8 | 82,9 | 83,3 |
| Plastics consumption | 3.302,5 | 3.418,8 | 3.309,1 | 3.124,1 |
| Volume recycled | 1.524,7 | 1.654,7 | 1.691,3 | 1632,3 |
| Recycling quota in percent | 46,2 | 48,4 | 51,1 | 52,2 |
| Paper, carton consumption | 8.238,1 | 8.512,1 | 8.265,9 | 7.748,4 |
| Volume recycled | 6.934,4 | 7.242,6 | 7.093,1 | 6.709,4 |
| Recycling quota in percent | 84,2 | 85,1 | 85,8 | 86,6 |
| Wood consumption | 3.066,6 | 3.617,9 | 3.420,9 | 3.141,7 |
| Volume recycled | 998,5 | 1.143,9 | 1.018,0 | 950,2 |
| Recycling quota in percent | 32,6 | 31,6 | 29,7 | 30,2 |
| Other packaging material consumption | 32,3 | 37,6 | 38 | 37,7 |
| Volume recycled | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Recycling quota in percent | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total consumption | 18.776,8 | 19.692,0 | 19.017,2 | 17.922,5 |
| Total volume recycling | 12.790,8 | 13.364,4 | 13.019,0 | 12.437,9 |
| Total volume recycling quota in percent | 68,1 | 67,9 | 68,5 | 69,4 |
Source: annual Surveys Gesellschaft für Verpackungsmarktforschung mbH (GVM), 2025
Last updated:
19.12.2025