Karnap fights against waste chaos – Denis Gollan demands clear solutions!

Karnap fights against waste chaos – Denis Gollan demands clear solutions!

On May 25, 2025, Denis Gollan, an active citizen from Karnap, will address the unsustainable conditions of the cardboard and paper containers on Arenbergstrasse. Despite sufficient capacity, these containers are overflowing with boxes that not only come from local residents but also come from neighboring cities. Gollan, who has been committed to a clean environment for years, criticizes the irresponsibility of citizens and the lack of political initiative by representatives such as SPD councilor Michael Schwamborn and SPD district representative Simone Stodiek, who in his opinion are not committed enough to the problem.

Gollan, who is running as a council candidate in the 2025 local elections, has developed numerous ideas to combat littering in Karnap. He plans to initiate a concept that involves the community in waste prevention. The measures he initiated also include the “Garbage Detectives” project, which aims to raise awareness among younger citizens to take responsibility for their environment. Gollan shares the ambitions of initiatives that work towards a sustainable future without waste, such as the “Waste Reduction Week”, which, among other things, aims to encourage the population to think differently through appropriate events and concepts in order to reduce waste and promote awareness of recycling. Further information on this is available on wochederabfallvermeidung.de to find.

Waste reduction initiatives

However, the situation in Karnap is not an isolated case. In Germany, waste prevention and the circular economy are key issues for local governments, especially since places like Kiel, Germany's first "zero waste city", show how waste can be effectively reduced. Kiel is pursuing the goal of reducing municipal waste in private households by 15% per capita per year by 2035. This requires streamlining waste management and strong citizen participation.

Maic Verbücheln from the German Institute for Urban Studies emphasizes that the future of zero-waste waste management is promising as long as citizens are actively involved. In Kiel, for example, around 450 citizens took part in creating their zero waste concept, which led to 100 measures recognized by Zero Waste Europe.

Sustainable projects in other cities

The Kiel model has also inspired other cities such as Regensburg and Munich, which are in the process of becoming “Zero Waste City” certification. Regensburg is pursuing a shift from waste to resource management, while Munich adopted a comprehensive concept with 30 measures in 2023 to minimize waste in various areas.

Campaigns such as “slicing parties”, repair events and zero-waste picnics are held in Kiel to promote a sustainable lifestyle. These initiatives highlight the importance of involving local communities in the waste reduction process to achieve long-term positive results as well Official mirror reported.

The challenges in Karnap are therefore part of a larger problem that needs to be addressed nationwide. Through his commitment and concrete measures, Denis Gollan hopes to not only raise awareness of waste problems in his home country, but also to become a role model for other communities.