Illegal waste disposal: old clothing container overcrowded in Zweibrücken!

Illegal waste disposal: old clothing container overcrowded in Zweibrücken!

In Zweibrücken, the situation on the old clothing containers is tense. Despite the new EU directive, which has been in force since January 1, 2025, unwanted waste is still being disposed of illegally at the collection points. The situation on the containers on the commercial road is particularly critical, where citizens keep leaving inappropriate and disgusting things. The problem is evident: old clothes are no longer allowed to go to the residual waste bin, which makes disposal a challenge. Not all textiles are suitable for the collective containers, and it remains to be seen how the situation develops in the long term.

The new regulation stipulates that old clothes, regardless of their condition, have to be disposed of in special containers. The aim of this measure is to reduce the amounts of waste and improve textile recycling. According to NDR , less than 50% of the old dresses are currently being collected to reuse them or to bring them to a recycling process. It is also alarming that only 1% of the new clothing is made from old textiles. Technologies that are necessary for the recycling of old fibers are still at the beginning of their development.

challenges for consumers

The consumers are called to collect old textiles such as bed linen and towels separately. The EU directive does not differentiate between portable and non-portable textiles. Experts from the German clothing foundation recommend only throwing portable old textiles into the containers. Broken or heavily soiled clothing should continue to be disposed of via the residual waste. Many non -profit organizations are dependent on portable donations because they are unable to recycled textiles that are no longer portable.

However, the responsibility for the implementation of this new regulation is mainly among the public waste and not primarily with the consumer. As Tagesschau , there are many different approaches to the collection and separation of old textiles that vary depending on the municipality. Some regions use recycling centers, while other collective containers of institutions such as the Red Cross or the Maltese use.

environmental impacts and social responsibility

The challenges go beyond pure disposal. The textile industry is a global polluter and contributes to global water pollution with 20%. In the EU, it causes around 270 kg of CO₂ emissions per capita. It is frightening that 87% of the old dresses are burned, which continues to increase CO₂ emissions. In addition, many old clothes are exported abroad, where they are often burned or decomposed to microplastics.

In Germany, each consumer buys an average of 60 clothes per year without counting shoes and underwear. Among them, 17% are almost ill. The effects of "Fast Fashion" increase the problem because the amount of clothing and old dresses has increased significantly. Consumers have to be increasingly sensitized to achieve the goals set for reducing waste and improving recycling in the textile industry.