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Garbage chaos in Schwerin: Citizens fight against growing mountains of waste!
In Schwerin, residents repeatedly complain about mountains of garbage in Lankow. Despite rapid removal, new piles of waste grow quickly.
Garbage chaos in Schwerin: Citizens fight against growing mountains of waste!
It's that time again on Edgar-Bennert-Straße in Lankow: a mountain of garbage is piling up, not just small amounts, but really big chunks. Old sofas, broken furniture, mattresses, boxes and even strollers end up where they don't belong. The situation is anything but new and regularly gives residents headaches. How Northern Courier reports, the wind catches plastic sheets blowing across sidewalks while leaves and other debris collect in the corners.
The problem is insidious and persistent: residents like Elke Staudle, who regularly visits her mother in need of care in the neighborhood, have so far unsuccessfully reported to the city when such garbage dumps accumulate. The Schwerin waste disposal and street cleaning company (SAS) usually takes care of the misplaced waste quickly. But no sooner has one mountain of rubbish been removed than another one arises. Those affected report long waiting times and incessant new deposits, which even include electrical appliances and building rubble. From a legal point of view, this bulky waste is classified as “wild garbage” and can be punished with a fine if the person responsible is identified.
Sustainability and waste management
The problem of litter is not just a local phenomenon. The whole of Germany is struggling with waste problems. Statistics show that about 5.9 million tons of plastic waste was generated in 2023, of which 99.5% was recycled, like that Federal Environment Agency shows. The recycling rate for private households is almost 33%, which leaves something to be desired compared to commercial end users (39%) and overall. The annual waste balance for Germany also provides information about the types of waste and their recycling, especially in the area of plastic waste.
One reason for the staggering amounts of plastic waste could be the decline in the German plastics industry, which recorded processing of 12.8 million tons in 2023, a decrease of 8.5% compared to 2021. Meanwhile, the amount of recyclates has increased, which could represent a positive trend. Around 67% of the plastics processed were used in the packaging industry. These figures make it clear that there is great potential for improvements in waste management.
Call for unity
The city of Schwerin asks citizens to report wild deposits to the waste authorities so that the responsible authorities can react more quickly. But whether these measures actually work remains questionable. Elke Staudle remains skeptical and wonders whether the city is taking its promise seriously, as she has observed the same mountains of garbage several times. This shows how important citizen engagement is in creating awareness of waste avoidance.
A solution to the problem lies not only with the authorities, but also with each and every one of us. Only together can we ensure that the streets stay clean and the environment is protected. This doesn't happen overnight, but a first step could be the right behavior when disposing of waste.