Broken socks and old underwear: what goes into the bin now?

Broken socks and old underwear: what goes into the bin now?

The debate about the disposal of textiles is causing a stir in northwest Mecklenburg. With the new regulations, which have been in effect since January 1, 2025, used textiles must be disposed of separately. What this actually means for citizens is currently still unclear to many people.

How Northern Courier reports, many fear that broken underwear or holey socks will no longer be allowed in the trash can in the future. These concerns seem to be particularly widespread in Gadebusch. But the all-clear comes from Northwest Mecklenburg district press spokesman Tore Degenkolbe: “Old textiles that are no longer usable can still be disposed of in the residual waste containers.” This means that the uncertainty is unfounded - items of clothing that are in poor condition can still end up in the trash.

New rules, old worries

The new regulations for waste separation stipulate that from 2025, used textiles will no longer be allowed to end up in residual waste. A rethink is necessary because cheaper and uncomplicated disposal options must be found. Loud SWP There is even a risk that the garbage can will not be emptied if there are old textiles in it. These new regulations not only affect underwear, but also a wide range of other clothing and textiles, such as T-shirts, jeans and bed linen.

There is great uncertainty, especially since many people don't know what should happen to heavily soiled textiles. In some countries, such as Austria, these are allowed to remain in the residual waste for the time being. It remains to be seen how the move towards more sustainable disposal will continue.

Ecological responsibility

The regulations ultimately aim to reduce the environmental impact of the textile industry. Every year around 5 million tons of clothing end up in the trash in the EU. This shows that on average each of us throws away around 12 kg per year. What is astonishing is that only 1% of these textiles are currently recycled. The initiative to separate used textiles is intended to help increase this rate and thus initiate sustainable processes.

The ecological impact cannot be underestimated: the textile industry is responsible for 270 kg of CO₂ per person per year, causes 20% of freshwater pollution and leads to over 500,000 tons of microplastics ending up in the oceans. To counteract this, it is recommended to pay attention to conscious consumption: Buying high-quality clothing, shopping less and repairing clothing are steps that everyone can take.

Overall, it should be noted that the citizens of northwest Mecklenburg should not be afraid to throw their remaining broken clothing into the trash until further clarity is provided about the new regulations. However, it is already clear: awareness of how to deal with old textiles and a rethinking of the way in which waste is disposed of are urgently needed.