Biogenic wastes and residues

The group of biogenic residues and waste materials consists of a large number of individual biomasses which can be divided into five groups according to their origin (see table below).

Table: Aggregation stages of biogenic residues and waste materials with examplatory individual biomasses. Source: Brosowski et al. 2019

Aggregation level Single biomass (examples)
forestry by-products logging residues (coniferous, deciduos), bark, by products of wood processing industries and wood shavings, black liquor, waste wood
agricultural by-products cereal straw, cattle slurry, cattle liquid manure, beet leaves, rapeseed straw
municipal waste bio waste from private households, green waste, kitchen and canteen wastes, sewage sludge from public wastewater treatment plants
industrial waste residues from milk processing, vegetable processing, biodiesel production
residues from other areas wooden materials from landscape management, stalks from roadside greenery, woody biomass
from roadside greenery, railway lineside stalks, railway lineside wood


Currently, about 65-85 % of the technically usable biogenic residues and wastes in Germany are used for material (e.g. as animal feed or litter) or energetic purposes (Brosowski et al. 2019).

What could be the 5 most important biogenic residues and wastes in Germany (measured by the amount available)? The scientific paper by Brosowski et al. 2019 could help you to answer this question.