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Rethem youth fire department stops collecting waste paper after 40 years!
After 40 years, the Rethem youth fire department stopped collecting waste paper due to bureaucratic hurdles and a lack of staff.
Rethem youth fire department stops collecting waste paper after 40 years!
The Rethem youth fire department has ended a tradition: after more than 40 years, the collection of waste paper will be discontinued. This decision was necessary due to bureaucracy, a lack of staff and the requirements of the Circular Economy Act (KrWG). District newspaper reported. The last collection took place at the beginning of October 2025. The campaign, which took place four times a year in places such as Rethem, Rethem-Moor and the surrounding communities, collected around 40 tonnes of waste paper per round - the equivalent of around eight containers.
The youth fire brigade is confronted with high expenses and a lack of suitable supervisors. These challenges are to be addressed by establishing a support association, but this is currently still being set up and is not ready for a decision. Youth fire chief Nadine Scheuerle is nevertheless optimistic and is planning discussions to examine a possible resumption of the collection next year.
Bureaucracy as an obstacle
A central problem is increasing bureaucracy. In March and April 2023, the youth fire brigade conducted a survey to gather experience with bureaucratic hurdles in youth work and to develop concrete suggestions for relief, such as Fire Department UB informed. The results of this survey are intended to serve as a basis for demands from the German Youth Fire Department, which aim to identify and reduce time wasters and administrative obstacles.
There is a small ray of hope for volunteer supervisors: the tax-free trainer allowance has been increased, which can be seen as recognition for the work done. Hans-Peter Kröger, President of the German Fire Brigade Association, welcomes this initiative to reduce bureaucracy and calls for further adjustments so that managers and equipment maintenance personnel can also benefit from improvements, reports KFV Wetterau. Just this week it was decided to increase the volunteer allowance, which is now 720 euros annually, and the trainer allowance was also increased to 2,400 euros.
The future of the waste paper collection in Rethem remains uncertain. Whether the collection can be resumed in 2026 depends on several factors: the availability of carers, the appropriate vehicle equipment and the achievement of non-profit status. The youth fire brigade and all supporters hope to find a solution soon so that the traditional collection campaign is not completely a thing of the past.