Large clothing container disappeared: Where should the old clothes go?

Large clothing container disappeared: Where should the old clothes go?

Parchim, Deutschland - In recent years, the image of the old clothing containers in northern Germany has changed significantly. Less and fewer of them can be found in the cities, which many people present before choosing: throw away or pass on? This presents the residents in Sternberg and the surrounding area with a challenge, because here the old clothing containers have almost disappeared. Only one container, hidden behind the main building of the Sternberger housing association (Stewo), remains. This belongs to Humana, a social enterprise that sells second-hand textiles in its own shops.

The [Nordkurier] (https://www.nordkurier.de/regional/schwerin/warum-kaum-noch-alticelidercontainercontainer-zu-find- 3747510) reports that two more collection containers on the parking spaces of Edeka and Aldi were recently removed. According to a spokesman for the German Red Cross (DRK), no new containers are erected. The main reason is the high costs caused by improper disposal and littering. The prices for the old fabrics have also fallen strongly, which makes collecting uneconomical.

A look at the numbers

The separate collection of old textiles will be mandatory in Germany from January 1, 2025. In this context, the new EU waste framework directive, which promotes the recycling of old textiles, could play a crucial role. About 22% of the old textiles collected in the EU are currently being recorded separately, the rest often ends in waste incineration or landfill. Every year, over one million tons of old textiles end up in the containers of Germany, with only 50% still usable. This shows the need to question and improve the existing withdrawal systems.

• 50% of the old textiles collected are still useful
• 10% of them get to the needy
• The rest is often marketed outside the EU
• compared to other EU countries such as Latvia and Spain, the collection rates in Germany are comparatively high

The ZDF indicates that less than 1% of the old textiles are recycled globally. The discussion about "extended responsibility for manufacturers" has started, at which manufacturers should pay for the collection, sorting and recycling. Organizers such as the DRK confirm that only well -preserved, portable clothing, shoes, accessories and home textiles should be added to the clothing collection. Broken or heavily soiled clothing, on the other hand, belongs in the residual waste.

alternative delivery options

If you don't just want to throw away your old clothes, you still have alternatives. In the Ludwigslust-Parchim region, for example, most residents adhere to the requirements for the old clothing collection, so that only 1.84 percent of usable clothing textiles were determined in household waste. Property courtyards in Brüel and Kobrow and the Charity Shop of the DRK in Parchim offer good opportunities for delivery.

It is clear: awareness of sustainability and careful disposal of old textiles grows, but the challenges remain - both for collectors and for recycles. It remains exciting how the landscape of the old clothing containers will develop in the coming years.