The KAW waste collection calendar provides all collection dates for the entire year – individually for each address in Mainz. You will also find the dates for the hazardous waste collection vehicle and all locations and opening hours of recycling centers, waste disposal centers, sales outlets for municipal waste bags, used clothing container locations, and distribution points for yellow bags.

You can also sign up for an info mail service. KAW will then send you individual reminders by email about the collection dates in your street.

Citizens who do not have internet access can have "their" waste collection calendar printed out free of charge at the Mainz Environmental Store. The Environmental Store team will be happy to help.

The Waste Management Statutes contain the rules and regulations governing the prevention, recycling, and disposal of waste in the state capital of Mainz.

The Waste Management Statutes and the Waste Disposal Fee Statutes can be downloaded from the KAW website.

Used clothing and other textiles, such as bed linen, can be disposed of in the used clothing containers in the Mainz city area.

The collection is carried out by Kommunale Abfallwirtschaft Mainz and Mainz-Bingen AöR in cooperation with the German Red Cross (DRK). The DRK provides more than 150 collection containers in the city for this purpose.

Construction waste and building site waste usually consists of mixed waste of various types that accumulates during conversion and renovation work. You can dispose of this waste at the two waste disposal centers in Mainz-Hechtsheim and Budenheim for a fee.

Opening hours and fees can be found on the KAW website.

Biowaste is organic waste of plant or animal origin, i.e., kitchen and garden waste. It accounts for a large proportion of total waste. It makes sense to collect biowaste separately in the biowaste bin on your property, because:

• It is highly recyclable. Organic waste is too valuable to be incinerated. Organic waste from Mainz is processed into energy and compost at the Essenheim biomass plant, which meets all the quality criteria of the Compost Quality Association.

• Reduction of the amount of residual waste. This can save money, as fees in Mainz are based on the size of the residual waste container.

Garden waste, such as green waste, can be disposed of at the recycling centers and the two waste disposal centers.

CDs, Blu-rays, and DVDs are made of 99% high-quality polycarbonate plastic, which is coated with aluminum and covered with lacquer. During recycling, the coating is removed and the polycarbonate is reprocessed into high-quality products.

You can drop off CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs free of charge at the Mainz Environmental Store, at all recycling centers, and at the two waste disposal centers.

Defective energy-saving light bulbs and fluorescent tubes are classified as hazardous waste due to their heavy metal content. If they are disposed of correctly, the mercury can be removed and reused in a professional manner, as can the other recyclable materials they contain.

LEDs must also be disposed of separately due to their recyclability.

Energy-saving light bulbs and LEDs can be disposed of at the Mainz environmental store, as well as at recycling centers and both waste disposal centers. Fluorescent tubes can be handed in either at the hazardous waste collection vehicle (up to 1.50 m in length) or at the waste disposal centers.

Glass waste is a recyclable material that can be easily reused. In Mainz, it can be conveniently collected directly in a waste bin at your home; use of the glass bin is free of charge.

The glass bins are emptied every four weeks by KNETTENBRECH + GURDULIC Service GmbH & Co. KG (commissioned by the dual systems).

You can also drop off old glass free of charge at all recycling centers (except in Ebersheim) and waste disposal centers in Mainz.

Cork is a valuable natural product that can be easily recycled and should therefore be collected separately.

Natural corks can be handed in at all recycling centers, at both waste disposal centers, and at the Mainz environmental store.

Hazardous waste and special waste can be dropped off at the hazardous waste collection point at the North Waste Disposal Center in Budenheim.

Smaller quantities can also be handed in at the hazardous waste collection vehicle. This vehicle regularly stops at various locations in different parts of the city and accepts hazardous waste from private households (please note the quantity restrictions).

Please note: Hazardous waste must be handed over directly to staff; leaving it in the city area is an administrative offense or a criminal offense.

Bulky
waste collection Private households in Mainz can dispose of bulky waste several times a year (4 times free of charge). KAW Mainz|Bingen AöR will collect bulky waste from the edge of your property by appointment.

Registering for collection: You can
arrange a collection date by telephone or using the online form.
 
Preparing the bulky waste

• No earlier than 6 p.m. the evening before
• no later than 6 a.m. on the day of collection
• in an easily accessible location
• avoid dangerous situations caused by excessive accumulation or spreading on the street

Bulky waste includes:

• bulky items (max. 1.70 m wide and 50 kg heavy) from the household that do not fit into the residual waste bins available at the house, even after being broken down.
• All furniture such as tables, beds, mattresses, cupboards, etc.
• bulky household items such as large flower pots, suitcases, sports equipment, large toys, clothes horses, etc.
• Large electrical appliances such as computer monitors, televisions, stoves, refrigerators, and washing machines.

The following items will not be collected:

• Items that are too large and too heavy (see above).
• Waste from renovation work, e.g., doors, toilets, fences, pipes, etc.
• Bulky waste that is dangerous to load, e.g., mirrors, aquariums.
• Bulky waste that damages the vehicle: e.g., parasol stands with concrete bases.

Personal delivery of bulky waste You can
deliver bulky waste in person to the two waste disposal centers in Mainz-Hechtsheim and Budenheim.

Exchanging or giving away items is the simplest way to avoid waste in everyday life. It is also enjoyable.

Once a year, KAW organizes a large goods exchange market at Zwerchallee 24. Dates are listed on the KAW website.

Throughout the year, you can browse online at the Mainz Exchange and Giveaway Market, a local platform.

Ink and toner cartridges for copiers, printers, and similar devices contain toxic dyes. It is essential that you dispose of them separately.

You can drop them off at the Mainz Environmental Store, at all waste disposal centers, and at recycling centers.

Packaging is collected in yellow bags in Mainz. The exception is disposal in large containers at large residential complexes.

The company Knettenbrech&Gurdulic is currently commissioned by the Dual System to dispose of the yellow bags in Mainz.