Leonberg: Underground garbage containers fight against eyesores!

Leonberg: Underground garbage containers fight against eyesores!

A new chapter in waste disposal is opening in Leonberg. On June 17, 2025, the city announced that underground garbage containers would be installed on Jahnstrasse starting June 23. With this pilot project, Leonberg aims to reduce illegal waste dumping and improve the cityscape. The Böblingen waste management company (AWB) hopes that this measure will mean that the new, waterproof containers will offer less incentive for wild waste disposal. Current problems, such as those on Bruckenbachstrasse, show that conventional above-ground containers often overflow and attract rubbish.

The new underfloor containers will have a capacity of around three cubic meters, which makes them more spacious than the previous standard containers. Only the drop-in column will be visible above ground, minimizing noise pollution in the area. The decision for this location was made near a new residential area that was created by the development of Pandion.

Technical advantages and digital innovation

Particular attention is paid to the planned equipment of the containers with sensors for level measurement, which is to be introduced after a test phase. “This will help us to optimize the emptying intervals,” says an AWB spokesman happily. To avoid any volume problems, the containers are emptied by the same truck that is responsible for the above-ground waste containers.

The total cost of the pilot project is around 100,000 euros. Of this, 80,000 euros go to civil engineering work and 20,000 euros to the containers and their installation. If the project proves successful, there could be further applications in other parts of the city.

A look outside the box

But Leonberg is not the only place where underground container solutions are being experimented with. In the spirit of innovative waste disposal, the use of underground containers is also being tested in Graz, Austria. Holding Graz has already started a pilot project there at Faunastrasse 78 that pursues similar goals: implementing modern waste separation and disposal. These containers not only save space, but also fit elegantly into the cityscape and promote accessibility for disposal. Residents can conveniently store glasses and cans at central points, with a total volume of up to 5,000 liters, which is almost five times larger than traditional trash cans.

The challenges in waste disposal are the same in many urban areas: the growing pressure on infrastructure and the environment requires innovative solutions. In the context of waste management, corresponding legal frameworks have developed in Germany since the beginning in the 19th century, which define the current waste hierarchy from prevention to recycling and disposal. The Circular Economy Act (KrWG) from 2020 aims to promote the conservation of natural resources and environmentally friendly waste management.

In Leonberg and Graz, such projects not only improve the urban image, but also take an active step towards a circular economy. It remains to be hoped that the waste problem can be effectively addressed through the use of these innovative systems.

For further information on developments in waste management, visit Stuttgarter Nachrichten, MyBezirk or Umweltbundesamt.