Water supply industry Disposal of sewage sludge by Land, 2015 to 2023

2023

Water management: Disposal of sewage sludge from biological waste water treatment, 2023
LandSewage
sludge
disposal,
total1		Of which
utilisation on soil (matrial recycling)2thermal disposalother
disposal8
in
agri-
culture3		for
land-
scaping
mea­sures4		in humification and composting5thermal treatment6thermal co-treatment7thermal process un­known
tonnes of dry matter9
The regional allocation is based on the location of the waste water treatment plant (WWTP).
1: Includes sewage sludge quantities received from other WWTPs, excludes quantities transferred to other WWTP.
2: Pursuant to the German Sewage Sludge Ordinance (AbfKlärV), as amended.
3: Utilisation in or on soil used for agriculture.
4: For example, recultivation.
5: For example, humification, composting, also in own plants.
6: For example in sewage sludge incineration plants or via pyrolysis, or gasification, low temperature conversion (LTC) and
hydrothermal carbonisation (HTC). Quantities that are incinerated with excess oxygen, for example in fluidised bed, grate and rotary firing systems, are also included.
7: For example in power plants, cement plants, waste incineration plants.
8: This also includes quantities transferred to drying plants where further disposal is unknown.
9: Dry matter refers to the sewage sludge without water content.
- = No figures or magnitude zero.
r = The value was corrected at 23th December 2024.
Germany1,629,897r212,89912,80171,230r656,344r622,22941,861r12,533
Baden-
Württemberg		208,981497- - 56,697147,3884,399-
Bayern269,47816,9636,8985,117114,119117,5497,6061,226
Berlin47,755- - - 47,755- - -
Brandenburg67,7087,4778115,1146,17448,0228624
Bremen18,8431,126- 1,4007,2949,023- -
Hamburg41,857- - - 41,857- - -
Hessen139,66427,4709203,65779,93023,9233,764-
Mecklenburg-
Vorpommern		34,42916,690- 2,8605,5706,4991,941869
Niedersachsen156,617r48,43361023,142r22,041r51,5901,489r9,312
Nordrhein-
Westfalen		341,41614,222- 7,387165,717135,70317,861526
Rheinland-
Pfalz		77,76833,594- 2,71129,71111,393359-
Saarland16,2722,936- - 4,2489,088- -
Sachsen70,9948,3271,5864,04227,00928,877608545
Sachsen-
Anhalt		48,1698,7136545,47521,46511,862- -
Schleswig-
Holstein		58,14523,494- 30924,4548,3271,53031
Thüringen31,8012,9571,32210,0162,30312,9852,218-

As at December 23, 2024

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2022

Water management: Disposal of sewage sludge from biological waste water treatment, 2022
LandSewage
sludge
disposal,
total1		Of which
utilisation on soil (matrial recycling)2thermal disposalother
disposal8
in
agri-
culture3		for
land-
scaping
mea­sures4		in humification and composting5thermal treatment6thermal co-treatment7thermal process un­known
tonnes of dry matter9
The regional allocation is based on the location of the waste water treatment plant (WWTP).
1: Includes sewage sludge quantities received from other WWTPs , excludes quantities transferred to other WWTPss .
2: Pursuant to the German Sewage Sludge Ordinance (AbfKlärV), as amended.
3: Utilisation in or on soil used for agriculture.
4: For example, recultivation.
5: For example, humification, composting, also in own plants.
6: For example in sewage sludge incineration plants or via pyrolysis, or gasification, low temperature conversion (LTC) and
hydrothermal carbonisation (HTC). Quantities that are incinerated with excess oxygen, for example in fluidised bed, grate and rotary firing systems, are also included.
7: For example in power plants, cement plants, waste incineration plants.
8: This also includes quantities transferred to drying plants where further disposal is unknown.
9: Dry matter refers to the sewage sludge without water content.
- = No figures or magnitude zero.
Germany1,667,083231,11213,27878,471583,780725,63427,2077,601
Baden-
Württemberg		212,01624988- 56,516152,4931,678992
Bayern279,04316,2794,1509,338119,899121,1867,0981,093
Berlin50,184- - - 50,184- - -
Brandenburg61,3496,6471,3486,1482,07444,92864140
Bremen17,8731,413- 1,2683,02712,165- -
Hamburg45,055- - - 45,055- - -
Hessen142,24129,5695283,98166,10040,8051,258-
Mecklenburg-
Vorpommern		31,98515,7601,4076483,9219,489760-
Niedersachsen164,83862,797- 22,4688,09164,9361,2675,279
Nordrhein-
Westfalen		351,35719,9753,1931,115154,609160,29812,167-
Rheinland-
Pfalz		79,44736,886- 2,90926,01612,9896407
Saarland17,7603,502- - 3,22911,029- -
Sachsen64,8443,9471,6577,19716,13334,3161,594-
Sachsen-
Anhalt		48,7946,21366011,91917,80112,201- -
Schleswig-
Holstein		67,41025,487- 31011,12529,71768190
Thüringen32,8872,38824711,170- 19,082- -

As at December 13, 2024

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2021

Water management: Disposal of sewage sludge from biological waste water treatment, 2021
LandSewage
sludge
disposal,
total1		Of which
material recyclingthermal disposalother
direct
disposal6
in
agri-
culture2		in
land-
scaping
mea­sures3		other
material
recyc­ling4		mono-
incin-
eration		co-
incin-
eration5		un­known
tonnes of dry matter7
The regional allocation is based on the location of the waste water treatment plant (WWTP).
1: Includes sewage sludge quantities received from other WWTPs, excludes quantities transferred to other WWTPs.
2: Pursuant to the German Sewage Sludge Ordinance (AbfKlärV).
3: For example, recultivation.
4: For example, humification, composting, also in own plants.
5: For example in power plants, cement plants, waste incineration plants.
6: This also includes quantities transferred to drying plants where further disposal is unknown.
7: Dry matter refers to the sewage sludge without water content.
- = No figures or magnitude zero.
Germany1,717,803226,74717,57691,318525,763810,97728,15017,272
Baden-
Württemberg		219,038485814- 49,086167,072730851
Bayern287,08516,7254,29811,092100,326142,9736,6575,014
Berlin51,468- - - 51,468- - -
Brandenburg64,8286,4341,0528,3016748,498476-
Bremen18,7221,176- - 4,25013,296- -
Hamburg46,000- - - 46,000- - -
Hessen147,06828,1212,6024,53561,60349,0871,120-
Mecklenburg-
Vorpommern		37,44516,5541,7892,2043,49513,403- -
Niedersachsen162,64457,537- 21,2686,57564,89899611,370
Nordrhein-
Westfalen		363,79620,4013,2901,335160,132162,76915,869-
Rheinland-
Pfalz		80,75535,535814,20416,51723,875543-
Saarland18,1922,658- - 2,03013,504- -
Sachsen69,9784,4071,09214,3581,47547,1801,466-
Sachsen-
Anhalt		50,2766,57479513,32311,57318,011- -
Schleswig-
Holstein		66,82327,004- 45511,16627,86829337
Thüringen33,6853,1361,76310,243- 18,543- -

As at December 14, 2022

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2020

Disposal of sewage sludge from public waste water treatment, 20201

Land
.....
country as a whole

Direct se­wage
sludge dis­posal, total		Of which
material recyclingthermal disposalother direct
disposal6
in agri­culture2in land­scaping
mea­sures3		other ma­teri­al re­cyc­ling4mono-
in­ci­ne­ra­tion		co-
in­ci­nera­tion5		un­known
tonnes of dry matter7

1: Includes sewage sludge quantities received from other waste water treatment plants, excludes quantities transferred to other waste water treatment plants. The Regional allocation is based on the location of the waste water treatment plant.
Baden-Württemberg: From 2016, survey among sewage treatment plant operators; until 2015, use of an administrative source. "Direct disposal, total": higher values until 2015 because the item included the quantity of sewage sludge distributed to sewage treatment plants located in other Länder. Limited comparability with previous surveys conducted until 2015.
2: Pursuant to the German Sewage Sludge Ordinance (AbfKlärV); sewage sludge recovered in the same Land, in other Länder and in other states according to the report for the EU Commission (does not apply to Bayern).
3: For example, recultivation.
4: For example, humification, composting, also in own plants.
5: For example in power plants, cement plants, waste incineration plants.
6: This includes quantities transferred to drying plants where the further disposal is unknown.
7: Dry matter refers to the sewage sludge without water content.

- = No figures or magnitude zero.

Germany1,740,556259,85125,181103,854507,929795,81931,24616,676
Baden-
Württemberg		217,498742374- 48,671165,6319491,131
Bayern287,71622,32812,72910,21591,619145,2574,1641,404
Berlin56,848- - - 56,848- - -
Brandenburg69,08711,0521,8799,7301,09445,29141-
Bremen21,0641,224- 2,2493,57114,020- -
Hamburg47,000- - - 47,000- - -
Hessen149,79629,7141,4036,52459,69851,3801,077-
Mecklenburg-
Vorpommern		29,75911,894- 2,5452,23012,548- 542
Niedersachsen174,08561,52360021,4216,35762,6118,81712,756
Nordrhein-
Westfalen		361,17420,8763,8071,222153,961166,85714,451-
Rheinland-
Pfalz		82,34840,2276194,62312,19724,524158-
Saarland18,6513,776658- 99513,222- -
Sachsen66,7275,6451,95015,9951,72239,8421,55716
Sachsen-
Anhalt		53,00910,05795314,3049,78617,111- 798
Schleswig-
Holstein		71,03038,801- 82112,18019,1673229
Thüringen34,7641,99220914,205- 18,358- -

As at December 14, 2022

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2019

Disposal of sewage sludge from public waste water treatment, 20191

Land
.....
country as a whole

Direct se­wage
sludge dis­posal, total		Of which
material recyclingthermal disposalother direct
disposal6
in agri­culture2in land­scaping
mea­sures3		other ma­teri­al re­cyc­ling4mono-
in­ci­ne­ra­tion		co-
in­ci­nera­tion5		un­known
tonnes of dry matter7

1: Includes sewage sludge quantities received from other waste water treatment plants, excludes quantities transferred to other waste water treatment plants. The Regional allocation is based on the location of the waste water treatment plant.
Baden-Württemberg: From 2016, survey among sewage treatment plant operators; until 2015, use of an administrative source. "Direct disposal, total": higher values until 2015 because the item included the quantity of sewage sludge distributed to sewage treatment plants located in other Länder. Limited comparability with previous surveys conducted until 2015.
2: Pursuant to the German Sewage Sludge Ordinance (AbfKlärV); sewage sludge recovered in the same Land, in other Länder and in other states according to the report for the EU Commission (does not apply to Bayern).
3: For example, recultivation.
4: For example, humification, composting, also in own plants.
5: For example in power plants, cement plants, waste incineration plants.
6: This includes quantities transferred to drying plants where the further disposal is unknown.
7: Dry matter refers to the sewage sludge without water content.

- = No figures or magnitude zero.

Germany1,740,089287,48458,59787,642490,141768,96134,14413,120
Baden-
Württemberg		219,6711,202620- 48,881165,7782,0241,166
Bayern283,98723,00920,6609,25687,728139,3503,495489
Berlin57,722- - - 57,722- - -
Brandenburg63,6404,9182,08311,1601,72043,5769390
Bremen19,5512,370- 2073,39513,579- -
Hamburg47,600- - - 47,600- - -
Hessen148,69628,5603,5616,29158,82548,9642,495-
Mecklenburg-
Vorpommern		35,52417,659- 2,5452,23012,548- 542
Niedersachsen156,77758,79113,74710,0754,98957,9821,4549,739
Nordrhein-
Westfalen		359,04920,1703,9531,310142,155167,64423,817-
Rheinland-
Pfalz		83,88442,984684,27111,10424,578467412
Saarland18,3244,7255,375- 8747,350- -
Sachsen74,30210,3844,52715,1111,32342,787170-
Sachsen-
Anhalt		54,84910,2232,49814,77210,02816,739- 589
Schleswig-
Holstein		67,74945,4821235211,56710,207129-
Thüringen48,76417,0071,49312,292- 17,879- 93

As at January 27, 2021

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2018

Disposal of sewage sludge from public waste water treatment, 20181

Land
.....
country as a whole

Direct se­wage
sludge dis­posal, total		Of which
material recyclingthermal disposalother direct
disposal6
in agri­culture2in land­scaping
mea­sures3		other ma­teri­al re­cyc­ling4mono-
in­ci­ne­ra­tion		co-
in­ci­nera­tion5		un­known
tonnes of dry matter7

1: Includes sewage sludge quantities received from other waste water treatment plants, excludes quantities transferred to other waste water treatment plants. The Regional allocation is based on the location of the waste water treatment plant.
Baden-Württemberg: From 2016, survey among sewage treatment plant operators; until 2015, use of an administrative source. "Direct disposal, total": higher values until 2015 because the item included the quantity of sewage sludge distributed to sewage treatment plants located in other Länder. Limited comparability with previous surveys conducted until 2015.
2: Pursuant to the German Sewage Sludge Ordinance (AbfKlärV); sewage sludge recovered in the same Land, in other Länder and in other states according to the report for the EU Commission (does not apply to Bayern, Sachsen-Anhalt and Schleswig-Holstein).
3: For instance recultivation, composting.
4: For instance humification.
5: For instance in power plants, cement plants, waste incineration plants.
6: This includes quantities transferred to drying plants where the further disposal is unknown.
7: Dry matter refers to the sewage sludge without water content.

- = No figures or magnitude zero.

Germany1,747,230280,325122,61533,206496,463761,95936,76615,896
Baden-
Württemberg		220,5831,1451,891- 48,165162,9355,3491,098
Bayern286,13722,89432,7403,32390,280132,8623,630408
Berlin57,881- - - 57,881- - -
Brandenburg62,0792,28712,3832,2911,12742,683723585
Bremen19,734866227- 4,18614,455- -
Hamburg47,500- - - 47,500- - -
Hessen147,78224,1246,6132,91160,98949,1913,954-
Mecklenburg-
Vorpommern		45,67426,1812,5461,1182,22813,601- -
Niedersachsen161,72358,49317,5959,4724,59564,1065436,919
Nordrhein-
Westfalen		368,68225,1694,5392,286147,092167,60121,995-
Rheinland-
Pfalz		81,20643,1722293,17011,03522,879364357
Saarland18,0844,0265,745- - 6,014- 2,299
Sachsen66,4729,2657,4104,73688144,180- -
Sachsen-
Anhalt		50,8537,98313,5662,1999,31413,569- 4,222
Schleswig-
Holstein		68,36043,13589451511,19012,4102088
Thüringen44,48011,58516,2371,185- 15,473- -

As at December 12, 2019

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2017

Disposal of sewage sludge from public waste water treatment, 20171

Land
.....
country as a whole

Direct se­wage
sludge dis­posal, total		Of which
material recyclingthermal disposalother direct
disposal5
in agri­culture2in land­scaping
mea­sures3		other ma­teri­al re­cyc­ling4mono-
in­ci­ne­ra­tion		co-
in­ci­nera­tion		un­known
tonnes of dry matter6

1: Includes sewage sludge quantities received from other waste water treatment plants, excludes quantities transferred to other waste water treatment plants. The Regional allocation is based on the location of the waste water treatment plant.
Baden-Württemberg: From 2016, survey among sewage treatment plant operators; until 2015, use of an administrative source. "Direct disposal, total": higher values until 2015 because the item included the quantity of sewage sludge distributed to sewage treatment plants located in other Länder. Limited comparability with previous surveys conducted until 2015.
2: Pursuant to the German Sewage Sludge Ordinance (AbfKlärV); sewage sludge recovered in the same Land or in other Länder according to report for the EU Commission.
3: For instance recultivation, composting.
4: For instance building materials, humification.
5: This includes quantities transferred to drying plants where the further disposal is unknown.
6: Dry matter refers to the sewage sludge without water content.

- = No figures or magnitude zero.

Germany1,713,185311,905171,63332,620478,493648,10863,5556,871
Baden-
Württemberg		215,7791,5684,383- 42,655150,07516,368730
Bayern280,30030,76846,6221,95985,800108,6695,905577
Berlin52,604- - - 52,604- - -
Brandenburg71,4589,58313,8171,237- 46,574247-
Bremen17,303606102- 3,28013,315- -
Hamburg49,670- - - 49,670- - -
Hessen142,77538,13114,6112,67151,08630,1596,117-
Mecklenburg-
Vorpommern		29,34418,4892,5724718626,950- -
Niedersachsen147,33173,37814,3878,5814,63642,2082,0962,045
Nordrhein-
Westfalen		380,19632,1795,1263,788156,013156,61626,474-
Rheinland-
Pfalz		76,41642,8391,0513,0508,11621,32832-
Saarland18,6412,1407,656- - 8,845- -
Sachsen74,81011,10524,0634,6501,66930,4182,905-
Sachsen-
Anhalt		53,43211,05016,5973,7049,4069,0732043,398
Schleswig-
Holstein		64,81333,6373,0071,59112,69610,5543,207121
Thüringen38,3136,43217,639918- 13,324- -

As at July 2, 2019

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2016

Disposal of sewage sludge from public waste water treatment, 20161

Land
.....
country as a whole

Direct se­wage
sludge dis­posal, total		Of which
material recyclingthermal disposalother direct
disposal5
in agri­culture2in land­scaping
mea­sures3		other ma­teri­al re­cyc­ling4mono-
in­ci­ne­ra­tion		co-
in­ci­nera­tion		un­known
tonnes of dry matter6

1: Includes sewage sludge quantities received from other waste water treatment plants, excludes quantities transferred to other waste water treatment plants. The Regional allocation is based on the location of the waste water treatment plant.
Baden-Württemberg: From 2016, survey among sewage treatment plant operators; until 2015, use of an administrative source. "Direct disposal, total": higher values until 2015 because the item included the quantity of sewage sludge distributed to sewage treatment plants located in other Länder. Limited comparability with previous surveys conducted until 2015.
2: Pursuant to the German Sewage Sludge Ordinance (AbfKlärV); sewage sludge recovered in the same Land or in other Länder according to report for the EU Commission.
3: For instance recultivation, composting.
4: For instance building materials, humification, fermentation.
5: This includes quantities transferred to drying plants where the further disposal is unknown.
6: Dry matter refers to the sewage sludge without water content.

- = No figures or magnitude zero.

Germany1,773,186423,497169,43931,064460,411615,92866,5546,293
Baden-
Württemberg		223,5232,0326,2063639,540145,88426,0283,797
Bayern290,30641,38753,1671,13684,626103,3126,366312
Berlin50,871- - - 50,871- - -
Brandenburg74,01513,77213,4131,696- 45,134- -
Bremen20,0315,6351,478- 3,9578,961- -
Hamburg50,619- - - 50,619- - -
Hessen156,28252,36912,8682,36954,36029,0735,243-
Mecklenburg-
Vorpommern		34,50823,1092,2861,0098997,205- -
Niedersachsen143,95180,99914,4106,9684,09937,31213150
Nordrhein-
Westfalen		383,34157,8845,5022,818145,116146,53125,490-
Rheinland-
Pfalz		86,16255,3438083,8625,75320,280116-
Saarland19,0225,0894,781- - 9,152- -
Sachsen70,10811,53020,2663,64993433,729- -
Sachsen-
Anhalt		57,77515,62517,1795,4149,6986,9511,2401,668
Schleswig-
Holstein		75,62251,821306939,93910,7152,058366
Thüringen37,0506,90217,0451,414- 11,689- -

As at February 14, 2018

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2015

Disposal of sewage sludge from public waste water treatment, 20151

Land
.....
country as a whole

Direct se­wage
sludge dis­posal, total		Of which
material recyclingthermal disposalother direct
disposal5
in agri­culture2in land­scaping
mea­sures3		other ma­teri­al re­cyc­ling4mono-
in­ci­ne­ra­tion		co-
in­ci­nera­tion		un­known
tonnes of dry matter6
1: Includes sewage sludge quantities received from other waste water treatment plants, excludes quantities transferred to other waste water treatment plants.
The Regional allocation is based on the location of the waste water treatment plant.
2: Pursuant to the German Sewage Sludge Ordinance (AbfKlärV); sewage sludge recovered in the same Land or in other Länder according to report for the EU Commission.
3: For instance recultivation, composting.
4: For instance building materials, humification, fermentation.
5: This includes quantities transferred to drying plants where the further disposal is unknown.
6: Dry matter refers to the sewage sludge without water content.
. = Numerical value unknown or not to be disclosed.
- = No figures or magnitude zero.
Germany1,803,087427,736190,12733,547432,516446,871269,2922,998
Baden-
Württemberg		234,8612,3767,3901,646. . 223,449-
Bayern283,65839,38355,6082,15481,75199,4825,092188
Berlin53,068- - - 53,068- - -
Brandenburg76,12514,61913,9901,42915844,852191886
Bremen20,3985,4171,142- 4,4949,345- -
Hamburg50,480- - - 50,480- - -
Hessen151,76950,77114,2212,77555,04921,3577,596-
Mecklenburg-
Vorpommern		32,77422,1662,3141,4821866,626- -
Niedersachsen143,08880,93816,2448,3863,45333,951- 116
Nordrhein-
Westfalen		404,05360,7487,7622,780154,790149,84928,124-
Rheinland-
Pfalz		90,41760,6338012,7546,08820,07368-
Saarland18,8786,6045,236- - 7,038- -
Sachsen74,9088,83128,1134,2303,50229,970262-
Sachsen-
Anhalt		57,21716,37017,9604,4219,5076,1491,6391,171
Schleswig-
Holstein		72,71250,2392118999,9907,8652,871637
Thüringen38,6818,64119,135591- 10,314- -

As at December 12, 2016

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