Garbage fees are rising: What households in Erlangen can expect from January!

Garbage fees are rising: What households in Erlangen can expect from January!

In the city of Erlangen, there will be minor changes to waste management from January 1, 2026. The costs for waste disposal are increasing slightly, which, according to Mayor Jörg Volleth, is primarily due to higher personnel and material costs. But the increasing association levy of the waste management association in the city and district also plays an important role. At its last meeting on November 27th, the city council approved the new fees for 2026 and 2027, which are classified as cost-covering\\*. This means that the fees cover the actual waste disposal costs.

The average cost increase is approximately 2.8 percent, with the exact increase depending on the size of the waste containers. Households that are equipped with a 120 liter residual waste bin will have to pay 6.24 euros from January - an increase of just over two percent compared to the previous year, without taking into account the home composting discount. These fees also cover the collection of paper and organic waste. The adjustments are a direct response to the costly framework conditions in the area of ​​waste management.

Rising costs in the background

A central point that many people in Erlangen should keep in mind is the new CO2 price, which will rise from 45 to 55 euros per ton of carbon dioxide emitted at the turn of the year. This increase was already passed in the Bundestag in 2019 and is now leading to higher costs for municipalities and ultimately also for consumers. This presents many households with additional challenges when municipal waste fees increase, as Behörden Spiegel reports.

In addition, the article on Behörden Spiegel states that inflation and the general increase in disposal costs are also responsible for these increases. The financial burden on households in this country could be between 5 and 10 percent, which forces many municipalities to regularly evaluate their fees and ensure that they remain cost-covering.

Comparison with other municipalities

A nationwide analysis shows that waste disposal fees vary greatly depending on where you live. In cities like Bochum, Cologne or Münster, municipalities charge over 900 euros a year to empty a 240 liter bin. Smaller communities, on the other hand, often band together to form cartels, which allows them to benefit from lower costs. One example is the city of Stolberg, where a reduction in collection times resulted in a reduction in fees - but this is more of an exception than the rule.

It is therefore essential that local authorities provide transparent information about fee developments. In Erlangen, this usually happens through regular announcements in the official gazette and directly to the affected households.

Overall, the city's citizens should be well informed about the upcoming changes in waste management and the associated costs. It will be exciting to see how the city of Erlangen and its neighbors will respond to these challenges and what measures they will take to keep fees within limits.