You are not allowed to burn garden waste such as leaves, branches or bushes in private gardens and allotments or in public facilities. Recycle them sustainably, for example by composting or mulching.
You can use the organic waste bin to dispose of your garden waste almost everywhere in Hamburg. You can also dispose of garden waste free of charge at all of the city's recycling centers if the amount is up to 3 m³ per trip. During the leaf season, leaves are even collected directly from your property in special leaf bags.
However, under certain conditions you are allowed to light private traditional fires such as campfires, barbecue fires or Easter fires. It is important that you follow the fire safety guidelines and do not burn any waste. Only dry, natural wood is permitted. Large public Easter fires that are approved by the district authorities are also permitted as traditional fires.
More Information
Publisher
Hamburg
Last update or date of publication
Contact
The government service telephone number 115 – your point of contact for questions related to the federal, state and local.
Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 18:00 (and beyond these times in some regions).
Call 115 nowGovernment service telephone number calls are charged at local rates.
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Preconditions
no
Hints
- Since 18 October 2017, you are no longer allowed to burn garden waste such as leaves, branches or bushes in private gardens or public facilities in Hamburg. This regulation is intended to
- improve air quality,
- to reduce smoke nuisance in densely populated neighbourhoods and
- to make sensible use of organic waste.
- The city cleaning service uses this waste to generate energy and compost from biomass.
- Burning garden waste is an administrative offence.
- The following options are available for environmentally friendly disposal:
- widely available organic waste bin,
- free disposal of up to 3 cubic metres of garden waste per trip at all recycling centres of the city cleaning service,
- During the leaf season: collection of leaves in special leaf bags directly from the property (you can find the dates in the links).
You will receive a fee notification from the Hamburg City Cleaning Service.
Basis for legal action
§ 28 of the German Recycling Management Act (KrWG)
Legal Remedies
No legal remedy is provided.
Related Links
- Incineration of garden waste not permittedCurrently this link is only available in german
- Law to promote the circular economyCurrently this link is only available in german
- Municipal Waste / RecyclingCurrently this link is only available in german
- Organic waste, garden waste, leaves - disposal and recyclingCurrently this link is only available in german
- Separating garbage is worth it - flyerCurrently this link is only available in german
- collection dates for leaf bagsCurrently this link is only available in german
Procedure
no
Deadlines
The collection dates for the leaf bags can be found in the links.
Processing time
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