As public waste disposal authorities, the administrative districts have a range of duties in waste disposal and recycling. They organise the collection and recycling of household waste and run civic amenity sites, waste disposal facilities and landfills. They also provide advice and information on topics such as waste prevention, correct waste separation and recycling and are therefore their residents’ first point of contact for any questions regarding waste disposal. At the same time, the administrative districts are increasingly getting involved in public-sector development cooperation work and are working with local authorities in developing and newly industrialised countries. Besides climate protection, this cooperation work focuses on waste disposal and recycling in particular. The German County Association supports this commitment by the administrative districts by providing information and facilitating networking. The Waste Alliance offers new opportunities in this area.
In its capacity as a central municipal association, the German County Association strives to promote the concept of a circular economy in rural areas. This applies not only to waste management, but also to areas such as energy supply, construction, agriculture and forestry. Our vision is for as many resources as possible to be re-used as part of a cycle, thereby enabling regional value creation potential to be exploited in the administrative districts. With this in mind, the German County Association demanded an immediate ban on the export of unsorted plastic waste, particularly to developing and newly industrialised countries, in September 2019. Instead of plastic waste being exported to these countries, where, in the worst-case scenario, it ends up polluting the oceans, the waste management expertise that exists in Germany should be shared – and the administrative districts can play an important role in this.