Annak ellenére, hogy kevés az önkéntes, elszállítják a hulladékot.

It means despite the fact that or even though.

So:

• Annak ellenére, hogy kevés az önkéntes = despite the fact that there are few volunteers / even though there are few volunteers

This is a very common Hungarian connector for introducing a contrast.

A rough literal breakdown is:

• annak = of that
• ellenére = in spite of
• hogy = that

But it is best learned as one fixed expression:

• annak ellenére, hogy = despite the fact that / even though

Because ellenére normally goes with a pronoun or noun that tells you in spite of what.

• annak is the dative/genitive-like form of az (that)
• annak ellenére literally means something like in spite of that

In this sentence, the full structure is:

• annak ellenére, hogy... = despite the fact that...

So annak is part of the standard pattern. Hungarian often uses this kind of pronoun + postposition structure where English would just use a conjunction.

Hogy means that, and here it introduces the following clause:

• hogy kevés az önkéntes = that there are few volunteers

So:

• annak ellenére, hogy kevés az önkéntes
  = despite the fact that there are few volunteers

Without hogy, the sentence would not have the same clause-linking structure. In this expression, hogy is the normal way to introduce the subordinate clause.

This is a very normal Hungarian way to say there are few volunteers.

The structure is:

• kevés = few / not much / not many
• az önkéntes = the volunteer(s) in a general/class sense

So kevés az önkéntes literally looks like the volunteers are few, but in natural English it is usually translated as:

• there are few volunteers

Hungarian often uses this kind of predicate structure where English prefers there is/there are.

You may also hear:

• Kevés önkéntes van.

That also means There are few volunteers.
Both are possible, but kevés az önkéntes is a very natural way to phrase it.

Because önkéntes is functioning as the subject, and Hungarian often uses the definite article in this kind of general statement.

So:

• az önkéntes = the volunteer
• but in context, it can mean volunteers as a group/category

This may feel strange to an English speaker, because English would usually not say the volunteers are few unless it meant a specific group. Hungarian is more comfortable with this structure in a broader, more general sense.

So kevés az önkéntes is idiomatic Hungarian, even though the most natural English translation is simply:

• there are few volunteers

Because after quantity words like kevés (few / little), Hungarian often uses the singular noun where English uses a plural.

So:

• kevés önkéntes = few volunteers
• literally: few volunteer

This is completely normal in Hungarian.

The same pattern appears with many numbers and quantities:

• két könyv = two books
• sok ember = many people
• kevés önkéntes = few volunteers

So the singular form after a number or quantity word is one of the big differences from English.

Elszállítják means they transport it away, they remove it, or in this context more naturally they haul it away / carry it away.

Breakdown:

• szállít = transport
• el- = a verbal prefix suggesting away, off, or completion
• -ják = they with a definite object

So elszállítják a hulladékot means:

• they remove the waste
• they haul away the waste

In context, this sounds like waste collection or cleanup.

Because Hungarian verbs change depending on whether the object is definite or indefinite.

Here the object is:

• a hulladékot = the waste

That is a definite object, so Hungarian uses the definite conjugation.

Compare:

• elszállítanak hulladékot = they transport waste / they haul away some waste
  
  • indefinite object
• elszállítják a hulladékot = they transport the waste / they haul away the waste
  
  • definite object

So the -ják ending is there because the verb is agreeing with a definite object.

Hulladékot is in the accusative case, which marks the direct object.

• base form: hulladék = waste
• accusative: hulladékot = waste as the thing being acted on

The accusative ending is usually -t, but the exact form can vary for pronunciation reasons:

• hulladék
  • -t becomes hulladékot

So:

• elszállítják a hulladékot = they haul away the waste

The -ot is just the normal accusative form here.

Hungarian usually does not need an explicit subject pronoun, because the verb ending already shows the person and number.

• elszállítják = they haul it away / they remove it

So the subject is understood from the verb ending.

This is very common in Hungarian:

• megyek = I go
• jön = he/she comes
• csinálják = they do it

In this sentence, they is unspecified, just like English sometimes says they in a general sense:

• They’ll take care of it
• They collect the trash on Mondays

So the sentence does not tell us exactly who they are; it just says the waste gets taken away.

The basic sentence is natural as written, but Hungarian word order is fairly flexible.

Current version:

• Annak ellenére, hogy kevés az önkéntes, elszállítják a hulladékot.

This is a neutral, natural way to say:

• Even though there are few volunteers, they remove the waste.

You could also reverse the clauses:

• Elszállítják a hulladékot, annak ellenére, hogy kevés az önkéntes.

That is also grammatical, though the emphasis may feel slightly different.

Hungarian word order often reflects focus, topic, and emphasis, not just grammar. So multiple versions can be correct, but the original sentence is a very standard one.

Yes, roughly. Hulladék is a general word for waste, trash, or refuse.

Depending on context, English translations could be:

• waste
• garbage
• trash
• rubbish

In this sentence, the waste or the trash would both work well.

Hulladék can sound a bit broader or more formal than everyday household trash, because it can refer to waste in many contexts, not only kitchen garbage.