DRK Hohenlohe: Old clothing containers are falling due to the flood of garbage and EU regulations!

DRK Hohenlohe: Old clothing containers are falling due to the flood of garbage and EU regulations!

The German Red Cross (DRK) Hohenlohe district association has decided to give up its used clothing containers. This decision became necessary because the operation is no longer profitable, which is mainly due to the increasing illegal disposal of waste in the containers. Loud echo24 The containers that were once intended to collect used clothing are increasingly suffering from improper disposal. Already, in a county that once had 70 containers, only seven remain, which may be dismantled by the end of July.

The increase in illegally dumped garbage in these containers has also put a strain on the DRK's volunteers. Bernd Thierer, district manager of the DRK-Hohenlohe, points out that more and more waste that should be disposed of in residual waste or at recycling centers ends up inside the containers. This problem has been exacerbated by a new EU regulation, which has been in force since January 1, 2025. However, this regulation does not differentiate between wearable and unusable clothing, which confuses many citizens and means that unsellable items often end up in the container, as Georg Sonntag, caretaker at the DRK-Hohenlohe, confirms.

EU directive and challenges

The new EU directive is intended to reform the disposal of used textiles, with the aim of reducing the number of textiles burned or landfilled each year and promoting reuse and recycling, such as ZDF reported. In Germany, over a million tons of old textiles end up in containers every year, although only around 50% of them are still usable. The remaining textiles are often remarketed outside the EU.

The limited profitability of collecting used clothing is caused not only by illegal disposal, but also by the high disposal costs and the lower purchase prices for textiles. These prices have fallen from 50 euros to just 5 euros per ton. From January 1, 2025, in addition to textiles, clean bed linen and towels must also be thrown into the containers, further complicating the collection.

The future of used clothing containers

It is now possible to hand over old clothes primarily to recycling centers, regardless of the condition of the textiles. Clothing in good condition can still be dropped off at the DRK clothing stores in Öhringen and Künzelsau. Bernd Thierer appeals to citizens to use this opportunity to reduce the pressure on the already heavily loaded containers. He warns of the possibility that people could tend to dispose of waste illegally due to the inconvenient disposal options, which would further increase the increasing problem of illegal waste dumping on motorways and in meadows SWR reported.

The situation highlights the challenges facing non-profit organizations and the importance of rethinking and adapting existing clothing collection systems. The answer to the grievances could lie in greater responsibility for collection and recycling on the part of manufacturers, an issue that is already being discussed at a political level.