Greifswald rejects packaging tax: cleanliness plans without financing!

Greifswald rejects packaging tax: cleanliness plans without financing!

In Greifswald, the members of the citizens came together for an important meeting to discuss measures to improve cleanliness in the city. On July 15, 2025, the decision was made that six out of seven points were accepted by the draft resolution, but the intended introduction of a packaging tax fell by the wayside. This project, which was launched by a cross-factional initiative of the CDU, SPD/Die Linke and Bündnis 90/The Greens, did not receive the necessary majority-the coordination ended with 18 yes votes, 18 no votes and one abstention. This remains the planned tax, which should have covered an amount of 1.2 million euros to finance the other measures, initially in the queue.

The background of these plans is an urgent concern: the cityscape is increasingly suffering from packaging waste and full trash cans. In order to counteract this, measures were outlined as often emptying of garbage buckets and additional empties at larger events. Although filling sensors are also a way to increase the efficiency of waste management.

criticism of the packaging tax

The rejection of the packaging tax is no coincidence. [dehoga-mv.de] (https://www.dehoga-mv.de/artikel/verpackungenstei-in-greifswald-dehoga -dagegen) reports that the Chamber of Commerce and Industry had already expressed concerns in advance. Lars Schwarz, President of Dehoga MV, criticized the introduction as disproportionate and administrative intensive. His main argument: The tax could result in significant stress for companies, municipalities and consumers.

Due to the possible differences in the municipal regulations and tax rates, he sees the risk of a Bavarian patchwork. Black emphasizes that in the current economic situation in the catering trade, where many companies are already in the crisis, such additional loads are not portable.

nationwide perspective

At the entire federal level, the topic of packaging tax is pursued as a discussion. While the tax has been levied in cities like Tübingen since 2022, Greifswald is faced with the decision to implement a similar regulation. [dihk.de] (https://www.dihk.de/de/aktuelles-und-presse/tdw/kommunale-packungenstei-eine-neue- zuetzliche-Zu-liche-133116) emphasizes that the introduction of such taxes not only leads to a bureaucratic effort, but also raises questions about the actual effectiveness. After all, these measures should primarily serve to reduce packaging waste and to promote reusable packaging.

Insight into the concerns of the economy provides a DIHK study that shows that companies in the hospitality industry spend an average of 14 hours a week with legal requirements. The bureaucratic effort is already enormous.

What remains is the uncertainty about the financing of the measures taken in Greifswald. While the measures for cleanliness are to be launched, it remains unclear how the city can carry it in the long term without using the controversial packaging tax. Municipal administrations and companies are asked to develop pragmatic solutions in dialogue in order to be able to counter the garbage problem more eficient.