CDU calls for a mobile eye against garbage pollution in Offenbach!

CDU calls for a mobile eye against garbage pollution in Offenbach!

A serious problem with illegal waste dumping has developed in Offenbach, which is increasingly affecting the city center. As the op online According to reports, garbage bags and various waste can be found in public places such as sidewalks and gutters every day. The CDU parliamentary group has therefore put forward the proposal to introduce mobile surveillance at typical dumping sites in order to identify waste offenders and hold them accountable.

The situation is particularly serious in areas where bulky waste, building rubble and other waste is often dumped near used clothing and glass collection containers. Stephanie Stolt, a volunteer garbage collector in the Senefelder district, reported on the rapid redeposits that are putting a severe strain on the city's cleanliness efforts. City spokeswoman Tracy Wittich confirmed that areas such as the Nordend and the center are particularly affected, while districts such as Bieber or Rumpenheim have fewer complaints.

Challenges and measures

The most common locations for illegal waste disposal in Offenbach are the Hessenring near the glass containers, Geleitsstrasse and Bismarckstrasse at the corner of Kurze Strasse. According to the CDU, the irresponsible actions of a small group of people are the reason for these problems. The application to introduce mobile video surveillance will be discussed at the city council meeting next Thursday; The data protection requirements and the resulting costs must be checked.

As part of a “bulky waste campaign” that has already started, illegal dumping in the Mathildenviertel is made visible using appropriate stickers or barrier tape. The aim of this campaign is to educate the population about proper waste disposal and to raise awareness. A positive example is the Friedhofstrasse on Querstrasse, where targeted marking and control measures have already noticeably reduced illegal deposits.

Municipal solutions and supra-regional experiences

The problem of illegal waste disposal is not only an issue in Offenbach, but also extends across Germany. Cities and municipalities are constantly using various measures to put a stop to this. The Privacy Notices note that in addition to video surveillance, garbage detectives and defect reporting portals are also used to combat this. In 2023, there was already resistance to video surveillance of glass containers under the state commissioner for data protection in Rhineland-Palatinate because it endangers the data protection of innocent people.

Elsewhere, such as in Garbsen near Hanover, realistic video surveillance has been installed at recycling collection points. This measure and addressing waste offenders via loudspeakers is an attempt to immediately stop unwanted behavior. In many cases, however, municipalities first have to prove that milder measures were unsuccessful before they can resort to video surveillance. Appropriate protection techniques are a necessity to protect citizens' privacy.

The Municipal gives further examples from practice, such as Ludwigshafen, where a pilot project was started with camera equipment to document illegal waste disposal. Particular emphasis is placed on citizen participation in these measures, for example through digital platforms, in order to combat the problem together.

In order to come to terms with this phantom of illegal waste dumping, a rethink in society and a decisive course of action by local authorities are required. With its innovative approaches, Offenbach shows that there is a will to change in the hope of soon taking on an exemplary pioneering role in solving the problem.