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Government · Germany
Updated September 2026

🗑️ Someone dumped waste or is polluting — who do I report it to?

Direct answer

Fly-tipping, a leaking container, oil in a stream: report to Ordnungsamt / Bürgeramt der Stadt (115) — the municipality clears public land and fines when there is evidence (a photo of the plate, a document in the waste). Larger pollution, industrial sites, chemicals, dead fish: Gesundheitsamt / Umweltamt (bmuv.de), the environmental inspectorate, which has a 24-hour line in most countries. Dumping in progress with a vehicle: Polizei — Onlinewache (polizei.de) — do not confront.

Call firstOrdnungsamt / Bürgeramt der Stadt
Report toGesundheitsamt / Umweltamt
If that failsPolizei — Onlinewache

🗣️ What to say

"At [location] there is [dumped waste / a pollution: what], since [date/time]. [Plate / description of vehicle or person if seen.] Photos attached. Please remove it and investigate; I can be contacted at [number] / anonymously."

🪜 Step by step

  1. Photograph, do not touchWide and close shots; anything with a name or plate. Do not search through it.
  2. Report: Ordnungsamt / Bürgeramt der StadtOnline form or app; the municipality clears public land within days.
  3. Pollution: Gesundheitsamt / UmweltamtChemicals, oil, smoke, smell from a site, water discoloration — the inspectorate, immediately.
  4. In progress: Polizei — OnlinewacheA vehicle unloading: police, with the plate. Do not confront.
  5. Private landThe owner must clear it; the municipality can order and fine. Report anyway.

📇 All contacts

Ordnungsamt / Bürgeramt der StadtPublic-order office: nuisances, noise, waste, registration, lost propertyFor anything the city regulates📞 115🔗 www.behoerdenfinder.de
Gesundheitsamt / UmweltamtEnvironmental health: housing hygiene, mould, pests, noise, pollutionWhen health is at risk at home or nearby🔗 www.bmuv.de
Polizei — OnlinewacheOnline report, reference number immediatelyAlways — the basis for bank, insurer and platform🔗 www.polizei.de/Polizei/DE/Einrichtungen/Onlinewache/onlinewache_node.html
Untere Umweltbehörde / Landesamt für UmweltEnvironmental supervisionIndustrial pollution, water, contaminated sites🔗 www.umweltbundesamt.de

❓ Frequently asked

Can I be fined for waste dumped in front of my house?

Not if you report it and it is not yours. Reporting protects you.

Asbestos or drums of chemicals

Stay away, keep children and pets away, report to Gesundheitsamt / Umweltamt as hazardous. Specialist removal is arranged by the authority.

A neighbour burns rubbish

Prohibited nearly everywhere; report to Ordnungsamt / Bürgeramt der Stadt with times and photos of the smoke; repeated burning goes to Gesundheitsamt / Umweltamt.

📎 Sources

Last checked: 2026-09-26

🔎 Common searches

Recognise your own search? The answer above covers all of these.

  • “report illegal dumping Germany”
  • “fly tipping report municipality”
  • “environmental pollution hotline Germany”
  • “report chemical spill”
  • “neighbour burning waste”

🧭 Is this still correct?

We check this information carefully, but phone numbers, websites and rules change — and sometimes we get something wrong. Spotted a mistake or a change? Let us know below.

🔗 Related questions

💡Broken streetlight→🐀Pests→📩Object to a decision→⚡Power outage→

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