The MHKW Rothensee waste-to-energy plant in Magdeburg plays a central role in municipal waste disposal for the sustainable waste management of towns, cities and local authorities. As a modern and environmentally friendly power station, it not only helps to reduce the amount of waste but also uses waste to generate energy. By incinerating household and commercial waste, the facility in Rothensee produces valuable heat and electricity, which are then supplied to the city of Magdeburg.
The amount of waste produced per head in Germany varies depending on the region, year, waste disposal system and individual consumption habits. On average, each individual in Germany produces the following amounts of household waste and bulky waste each year:
Household waste: Around 450 to 500 kilogrammes of household waste are accumulated per person each year, namely residual waste, organic waste, paper, glass and packaging materials.
Bulky waste: When it comes to bulky waste, approximately 20 to 25 kilogrammes are accumulated per person each year. The term bulky waste applies to large waste such as old furniture, mattresses and electrical appliances that does not fit in regular waste containers.
1 million tons of this combined waste is incinerated at the MHKW Rothensee waste-to-energy plant every year.
Waste management in Germany is based on a strict system of waste separation and disposal:
This system enables the efficient utilisation of resources and reduces the negative impact of waste on the environment.
The MHKW Rothensee is a prime example of sustainable and efficient waste disposal. The waste incineration process is designed to allow emissions to be strictly monitored and reduced to a minimum. State-of-the-art filtering technologies ensure that harmful substances are removed from the flue gases before they are released into the atmosphere.
Another advantage of waste management at the MHKW Rothensee is the fact that the waste is used to generate energy. The heat produced by the incineration process is used to create steam, which in turn powers turbines to generate electricity. This also produces heat, which is additionally fed into the district heating network to supply a multitude of households and companies in Magdeburg with environmentally friendly heat energy.
As a result, the MHKW Rothensee not only contributes to environmentally responsible waste management but also plays an essential role in securing the energy supply of the local region. It demonstrates how modern technologies can be incorporated into waste disposal to achieve both ecological and economic benefits and it is a shining example of successful closed-loop recycling management in which waste is not a problem but a valuable resource.