Ressource conservation
Recycling rate
In the year under review, some 1.5 million tons less waste was generated. The volume development of our most significant waste type, construction waste, was mainly influenced by the Stuttgart — Ulm (–1.5 million t) project in the year under review. As compared with the previous year, the volume of waste generated fell by about 12%. As a result of the decline in the volume of waste, the recycling rate is somewhat lower, but still remains at a very high level. Other declining volumes of waste in the year under review were scrap, electronic waste and waste oil. The volume growth of municipal waste also declined slightly.
Volume of waste according to type of disposal | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
| Total waste (thousand t) | 11,288 | 12,807 | 12,642 |
Recycling rate (%) | 97.7 | 98.0 | 98.0 | |
Share of thermal utilization (%) | 1.0 | 0.9 | 0.9 | |
Share of disposal (%) | 1.4 | 1.2 | 1.1 | |
Share of hazardous waste 1) (%) | 3.4 | 3.7 | 3.3 | |
1) Pursuant to the List of Waste Ordinance, for example waste oil.
By the use of specific measures such as selective dismantling and a contractual commitment to sorting and recycling facilites, we maintained the share of recyclable waste at a high level and continued to further reduce the proportion of waste destined for disposal or incineration. The new strategy for disposing of mixed municipal waste, with the aim of largely recycling the recyclables included therein, is showing the first signs of success. In this way, the volume of reused municipal waste was increased by 30% and the volume of municipal waste recycled was increased by as much as 74% (+ 7,100 t).
Waste of according to type (thousand t) | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
| Total waste | 11,288 | 12,807 | 12,642 |
thereof construction waste | 10,838 | 12,367 | 12,121 | |
thereof scrap metal | 309 | 318 | 378 | |
thereof electronic scrap | 0.9 | 1.5 | 6.1 | |
thereof municipal waste | 57.6 | 58.1 | 60.2 | |
thereof paper | 25.4 | 19.1 | 23.1 | |
thereof waste oil | 1.7 | 2.0 | 4.0 | |
thereof other 1) | 55.6 | 41.5 | 49.6 | |
1) For example paint, varnish, sludge and other maintenance-related waste.
Waste management with differentiated disposal of the fractions
We endeavor to collect and dispose of different waste types separately. By capturing and collecting individual waste types, we can achieve income for waste and reinject waste into circulation. In this way, we also comply with the amended Commercial Waste Ordinance, which makes separating waste a top priority. We are in a position to dispose of almost every form of waste separately as a single group.
As of January 1, 2019, we have reassigned the disposal service for 80% of municipal waste nationwide, with priority being given to contractually bind sorting services at pre-treatment plants. Although municipal waste represents only a small proportion of our total waste, it is the most visible fraction of our waste in our trains and at our stations. The annual absolute quantity which is incurred there roughly corresponds to the annual volume of a large city.
