garbage collection / garbage truck
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garbage collection
The company or municipal service responsible for regularly collecting and transporting household and commercial waste.
Die Müllabfuhr kommt in unserer Straße immer am Montagmorgen.
The garbage collection comes to our street every Monday morning.
'Müllabfuhr' (garbage collection / garbage truck) is made up of 'der Müll' (garbage) and 'die Abfuhr' (removal/transport). 'Abfuhr' comes from the verb 'abfahren' (to drive away). Literally, then, it is the driving away of the garbage.
Der Lärm kommt vom Abfahren der Lastwagen.
The noise comes from the trucks driving away.
The exact meaning follows from the sentence. If people say that it 'comes' or 'is responsible', the service is meant. If it is described as 'big' or 'loud', or if someone 'sees' it, the vehicle is meant. If it is the reason for something ('wegen der Müllabfuhr' — because of the garbage collection), the process is meant.
Die Müllabfuhr ist für die Entsorgung des Restmülls zuständig.
The garbage collection service is responsible for disposing of residual waste.
In Switzerland, the word 'die Kehrichtabfuhr' is often used for 'Müllabfuhr' (garbage collection). 'Kehricht' is a common word for garbage there.
In Zürich kommt die Kehrichtabfuhr zweimal pro Woche.
In Zurich, garbage collection comes twice a week.
A very typical and useful everyday phrase is 'Die Müllabfuhr kommt am...' (The garbage collection comes on...). This is used to name the weekday on which the garbage is collected.
Denk daran, den Müll rauszustellen, morgen kommt die Müllabfuhr.
Remember to put the garbage out; the garbage collection comes tomorrow.
disposal
'Entsorgung' and 'Müllabfuhr' both have to do with garbage, but they do not mean the same thing. 'Entsorgung' is the broader term: it includes disposing of, treating, or taking away waste in an environmentally responsible way. 'Müllabfuhr' usually means the municipal service that regularly collects garbage, or the process of collecting it. Learners may confuse the words because garbage collection can be part of disposal. When you are talking about the overall handling of waste, 'Entsorgung' is more precise. When the garbage truck comes or the bins are collected, you are more likely to say 'Müllabfuhr'.
Morgen früh kommt die Müllabfuhr, deshalb stellen wir die Tonnen heute Abend raus.
The garbage collection comes tomorrow morning, so we are putting the bins out tonight.
Bei der Entsorgung von Batterien muss man besondere Regeln beachten.
When disposing of batteries, you have to follow special rules.