Large clothing container disappeared: Where is the region's clothing?

Large clothing container disappeared: Where is the region's clothing?

Parchim, Deutschland - What happens to all the old clothes that we hoarded in the closet? In view of the constantly growing need for space, many of us are faced with the decision: throwing away or passing on? More and more people are searching their clothes to make room for new things. But the possibility of handing over clothing over old clothing containers are becoming increasingly difficult. As the Uckermark Kurier , these have almost disappeared, especially in Sternberg and the surrounding area. Two containers were recently removed in the parking spaces from Edeka and Aldi. The last remaining container, hidden behind the main building of the Sternberger housing association (Stewo), belongs to the Humana company.

But where do the textiles submitted land? Humana sorts the donated clothing in a company in Hoppegarten near Berlin. A large part of the clothes collected is in good condition, but is often thrown away because the containers are overcrowded by garbage and rubbed dresses. The Situation is not happy with the DRK either, because they no longer set up old clothing containers. The reason? Lawling and the associated additional costs. The concerns about valuable, well -preserved clothing that is made unusable are more than justified.

EU guidelines and the need for recycling

Another aspect that affects the situation is the planned introduction of an obligation to separate old states that comes into force on January 1, 2025. This new regulation is part of the EU waste framework directive, which is intended to promote the recycling of old textiles, but also causes some confusion. According to information from ZDF today land in Germany annually over a million tons of old textiles in containers, whereby only about 50 percent of the clothes collected is still usable. Around ten percent of this clothing goes to people in need, while the rest is often marketed outside the EU.

The recycling rate of textiles within the EU is currently just 22 percent. Mixed fibers in textiles and the lack of clear regulations for an ecological design also make recycling difficult. In contrast, the collection rate in Germany is between 50 and 65 percent and thus represents an acceptable value. In other EU countries such as Latvia or Spain, however, the situation looks much worse, with quotas of only 5 or 12 percent.

Alternatives to the clothing collection

What to do with the clothes that can no longer be worn? Well -preserved, portable clothing, shoes, accessories and home textiles are allowed in the clothing collection. The challenge remains to dispose of broken or heavily soiled clothing: it belongs to the household waste bin. There are also alternatives for everyone who cannot or do not want to jump on containers: recycling centers in Brüel and Kobrow and the Charity Shop of the DRK in Parchim offer opportunities to get rid of the pieces that are no longer required.

The German Red Cross is committed to ensuring that damaged and non -portable textiles do not end up in the trash. Instead, there is a way to the recycling company, where they are processed into products such as floor mats, car seat covers or plaster flaps. In addition, five percent of the clothes collected are provided in central disaster protection camps. The proceeds from this also benefit the youth work and other important social projects, as on the drk-website .

With the upcoming changes and the growing awareness of recycling and reuse, it is time to think about our consumption behavior. The old clothes in the closet can also be valuable in the future if the correct delivery and recycling are ensured.