Trash accumulation and hefty expenses: does the Red Cross dispose of its waste bins?
In the cities of Ulm and Alb-Donau district, the German Red Cross (DRK) textile recycling containers may soon be a thing of the past. The increasing issue of receiving excessive waste material and high disposal costs have led many district associations, including Ulm and others, to contemplate discontinuing second-hand clothing collection.
Tobias Schwetlik, the managing director of the Ulm DRK district association, expressed his concerns about the growing problem. He stated that he often finds garden waste, food remains, and other non-textile waste in the containers, which incurs additional disposal costs.
The Ulm district association maintains approximately 50 textile recycling containers, one of which is located in Langenau. However, with the rising costs, the Red Cross in Ulm is considering dismantling these containers. The waste management companies of Ulm and Alb-Donau district have rejected the proposal of the German Red Cross to bear the costs of disposal.
The Alb-Donau district waste management states that such support through waste disposal fees is impermissible in terms of fee and procurement law. The waste management companies of Ulm share a similar stance, stating they do not see themselves in a position to bear the costs of disposal.
Clothing waste and non-usable garments in second-hand clothing containers are a problem not only in Ulm and Alb-Donau district but throughout Baden-Württemberg, according to the DRK state association in Stuttgart. Two out of the total 49 district associations have already completely withdrawn from clothing collection, and many others are considering doing the same.
If no solution is found, the district association Ulm plans to dismantle its second-hand clothing containers in the Alb-Donau district by the end of the year. However, well-preserved garments can still be handed in directly to the DRK second-hand shops or disposed of in alternative second-hand clothing containers not operated by the German Red Cross.
In a bid to address the issue, the costs for the disposal of waste in the textile recycling containers of the city of Ulm and the Alb-Donau district will be borne by households through their waste disposal fees managed by the Abfallwirtschaft Alb-Donau-Kreis. This is coordinated via a structured waste disposal plan that allows households to influence their fee charges by choosing container sizes and collection frequencies.
Despite the challenges, Tobias Schwetlik stated that he would be satisfied with a solution that brings the costs to zero. The DRK currently makes losses with textile recycling containers due to high disposal costs, and a resolution that addresses this issue would be beneficial for all parties involved.
