Environment, Climate, Energy and Agriculture Authority

burning garden waste

You are not allowed to burn garden waste such as leaves or branches, or wood scraps such as pallets or lumber. Use environmentally friendly disposal methods.

Detailed description

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.

 

Information

Prerequisites

no

Documents required

none

Please note

  • 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).

Deadlines

The collection dates for the leaf bags can be found in the links.

Procedure

no

Processing time

no

Fees

You will receive a fee notification from the Hamburg City Cleaning Service.

Legal remedies

No legal remedy is provided.

Legal basis

§ 28 of the German Recycling Management Act (KrWG)

https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/krwg/__28.html

Address and contact information

Environment, Climate, Energy and Agriculture Authority

Waste Management

We have a limited number of customer parking spaces. To reserve a parking space, please contact our receptionist by e-mail at zugang@bsw.hamburg.de or by telephone on +49 40 428 40 - 50 50. Our working hours are: Monday to Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:15 p.m , Friday from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

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Keywords: Garden waste Biowaste Burn garden waste Green bin Organic and green waste Green compost bin Flyer - Separating rubbish is worth it

Last updated: 15.02.2026