Old clothing chaos in Havelland: Citizens despair of disposal rules!

Old clothing chaos in Havelland: Citizens despair of disposal rules!

In some corners of Havelland, the chaos surrounding the disposal of old clothing has now become the number one topic of conversation. Many citizens feel helpless because they don't know where their discarded clothing should go. This is mainly due to a new law that prohibits the disposal of old clothing in residual waste from January 1, 2025. How maz online According to reports, the amount of textile waste at the recycling centers in Havelland has increased tenfold from 900 to an impressive 9,000 kilos per month. This increase has led to considerable discontent among the population.

On June 16, 2025, the SPD parliamentary group in the district council pointed out that it was time to better inform citizens about the new regulations and to introduce effective collection systems for recycling textile waste. The district then chose a drop-off system as a solution because there is now a functioning market for the collection of used clothes. Citizens are now required to bring their textiles directly to recycling centers.

Recycling center opening times

• Falkensee: Montag 9-18 Uhr, Dienstag-Freitag 9-17 Uhr, Samstag 8-13 Uhr
• Schwanebeck: Montag 9-18 Uhr, Dienstag-Freitag 9-17 Uhr, Samstag 8-13 Uhr
• Bölkershof: Montag 9-18 Uhr, Dienstag-Freitag 9-17 Uhr, Samstag 8-13 Uhr

This measure is in line with the new EU directives, which require from January 1, 2025 that used textiles must be collected separately from other waste. The aim of this regulation is to reduce the number of textiles burned or landfilled each year and to promote reuse and recycling. Loud zdftoday In Germany, over a million tons of old textiles end up in containers every year, of which only around 50% are still usable.

Costs and challenges of the new regulation

The introduction of a municipal, decentralized used clothing system is estimated to cost around 2.5 million euros annually, which could result in an additional burden of around 15 euros for each resident. A collection system for used textiles is not considered economically feasible because a delivery system can reduce costs while preserving non-profit and commercial collections.

Illegal disposal is another problem that comes with the latest change in the law. The district is experiencing increased numbers of illegal waste disposal. Currently, 105 euros per ton of collection costs and 242 euros per ton of processing and disposal costs are due. This is a clear incentive for citizens to dispose of their old textiles properly.

In addition, the district plans to launch a new project entitled “Garbage collection campaign – Protecting our environment together” in schools to raise awareness among younger generations about the importance of dealing with waste sustainably. Information stands should also be installed at weekly markets to educate the population about the issue of waste disposal.

How daily news Notes, the responsibility for implementing the new guidelines remains with the public waste disposal companies. In order to improve recycling, “extended producer responsibility” is being discussed, which requires manufacturers to also ensure that their products are collected and recycled. This could represent a decisive step in the right direction in the future.

The issue surrounding the collection and disposal of old clothing is complex and will continue to take up a lot of space in the public discourse in the coming years. It remains to be hoped that conscious decisions on the part of both citizens and companies will bring the issue of sustainable consumption and recycling into focus.