Chaos of old clothes in Osnabrück: containers overflowing, helpers wanted!

Chaos of old clothes in Osnabrück: containers overflowing, helpers wanted!

In the Osnabrück region, local collectors of used clothes are sounding the alarm. Six organizations have made an urgent appeal to the city and district because they have identified massive problems in their used clothing business. Garbage is piling up in front of the constantly overflowing used clothing containers, and the overall situation is increasingly being described as problematic. In particular, the German Red Cross containers in Bramsche are often either locked or even dismantled, which requires deeper insight into the problem of clothing distribution. NOZ reports that the collectors are now at the end of their strength from an ecological and logistical perspective.

But what is behind this chaos? One reason for the overflowing containers is the growing amount of unusable textiles that donors throw into the containers. The recycling exchange in Herford recently even stopped accepting clothing donations for six weeks after the warehouse was full with around 10,000 bags. Employees can no longer sort the donations because only clean and undamaged clothing can be reused. The situation means that more and more damaged clothing is being handed over, which makes sorting even more difficult. daily news highlights that this has now become a major problem for many organizations.

EU regulations and consumer ignorance

The new EU directive, which comes into force on January 1, 2025, poses further challenges. It states that used clothing must in future be collected separately from other waste. The aim of these guidelines is to reduce the enormous amount of textiles burned or landfilled every year. Loud ZDF In Germany, over a million tons of old textiles end up in containers every year, of which only around 50% are classified as usable.

However, consumers often seem to have insufficient awareness of how to dispose of textiles correctly. Many people don't realize that dirty and damaged clothing belongs in the trash. These uncertainties mean that many organizations, such as the German Red Cross in the Aachen city region, have dismantled all 45 containers because the waste is not economically viable. It is therefore urgently necessary to regulate more clearly the responsibility for the collection and recycling of used textiles.

Too little responsibility from the producers

The Association of Municipal Companies (VKU) is already calling for greater responsibility from textile producers so that they pay for the collection and recycling of their products. A concept called “Extended Producer Responsibility” is currently being discussed in the EU Parliament. The aim is to require manufacturers to actively participate in solving the problem from 2027.

This process could not only increase the recycling of textiles, but also ensure that less material ends up in the trash. Currently, sorting textiles is costly and labor-intensive, which represents a hurdle for many organizations. There are tips for consumers on how to use textiles more sustainably: buy less, choose long-lasting products and consider second-hand offers or clothing swaps.