Used clothing chaos in Erfurt: containers overflowing, city sounds the alarm!

Used clothing chaos in Erfurt: containers overflowing, city sounds the alarm!

A walk through the Rieth district in Erfurt made a more than shocking discovery for Steffen. He came across a used clothing container that was not only overflowing, but surrounded by a veritable mountain of used clothing and garbage bags. His ironic statement in a Facebook group, “Wonders of Nature,” promptly brought numerous user responses who found the situation worrying. One commenter noted, “Clothing collection is not trash disposal,” while another addressed the sad reality in many cities. This lack of insight among the population highlights the increasing problem that the new EU directive is putting additional strain on the used clothing markets. According to Thüringen24, it is expected that the city of Erfurt will want to put an end to the sight in the coming days and have the illegal used clothing container removed.

But what is the background of this problem? According to reports from Die Thüringer, the overfilling of used clothing containers is not just a local phenomenon, but also extends to cities such as Weimar, Jena and Gera. Things that don't belong there always end up in these containers. This leads to contamination of the collected donations, which can then no longer be used. The general EU requirement for the separate collection of used textiles, which will take effect from January 1, 2025, is also causing confusion among consumers. Many people don't know that dirty textiles and old clothing belong in the trash.

Challenges in the used clothing market

A look at the collected used textiles shows that in Germany over a million tons end up in containers every year, of which only around 50% are actually usable. The rest is either burned exclusively or sent as goods that are no longer used. The new EU directive aims to reduce the amount of textiles burned or landfilled while promoting reuse and recycling. Germany currently only has a collection rate of 22% for used textiles, which is rather modest in international comparison.

The situation is put under additional strain by charitable institutions such as the DRK. These have had to increase operating and disposal costs, which has increasingly led to a withdrawal of non-profit collectors in recent years. It is required that only clothing in good, wearable condition goes into the containers - wearable clothing must be handed in to institutions such as Caritas or Stadtmission, while items that are no longer wearable should be disposed of in residual waste or at recycling centers.

What can each individual do?

Given these challenges, it is important to raise awareness about using clothing responsibly and consuming less. Consumers are encouraged to select long-lasting products and consider second-hand options or clothing swaps. The upcoming EU regulations could help to better recycle old textiles and reduce waste. But this also requires broad awareness among the population.

The city of Erfurt has shown clear alternatives and is calling on citizens to hand in usable items of clothing to local clothing stores instead of disposing of them in the overfilled containers. If each individual contributes their part, a positive change in the used clothing situation may soon be achieved.

For more information about used clothing containers and their proper disposal, take a look at the website Thuringia24, The Thuringians and ZDFheute.