Cologne is drowning in garbage: citizens report waste chaos in the city!

Cologne is drowning in garbage: citizens report waste chaos in the city!

“Garbage alarm” is once again the order of the day in Cologne! The city is faced with a serious garbage problem that is getting out of hand. Numerous reader reporters have documented unsustainable garbage accumulations in various parts of the city. Hartmut Josef Giebels discovered a collection of rubbish on the park belt, in which there were even shredded deposit bottles. Udo Schneider reported on a similar horror situation in Cologne-Mülheim, where an old mattress, a dismantled wardrobe and a stove were carelessly dumped. In just 24 hours, the space mutated from a mattress to a chaotic garbage dump that wasn't cleaned for four weeks.

But that's not all: an old sofa, a chair and a shopping cart with rubbish were discovered in Zollstock. There is also a defective telephone booth on Kaiser-Wilhelm-Ring, which, according to Telekom, should be removed by the end of 2025. However, the speed of these measures is not met with universal approval. There are also reports of unhygienic conditions at train stops, which are used by homeless people as a place to sleep and are noticeable due to the intense smell of urine. What's going on here, Cologne?

An alliance against littering

In order to get to grips with the waste problem, the city of Cologne has launched a new campaign in collaboration with the Cologne Waste Management Company (AWB). Under the motto "Over 23,000 in your city! Will you meet the next one?" The aim is to raise awareness among the population about the proper disposal of waste. The goal is to make greater use of public wastebaskets, which are now even equipped with ashtrays and dog waste bag dispensers. To combat the dark ages of illegal waste dumping, fines of up to 150 euros are being imposed for improper waste disposal.

The numbers speak for themselves: In 2024, around 28,000 illegal dumps were reported, an increase compared to the 24,000 of the previous year. The city spends over 14 million euros per year on disposing of wild waste, and the trend is still rising steeply. Cologne offers free disposal options for larger waste, such as in two recycling centers and an AWB collection service. As heavy as the garbage on the streets is, education from the AWB is just as important. During the “Kölle putzmunter” campaigns last year, almost 25,000 volunteers were committed to making everyday life in Cologne cleaner.

A growing problem

But the campaign is only part of a larger challenge. A study by the Federal Environment Agency found that littering – the careless disposal of waste in public spaces – has increased significantly in the last five years. Over 58% of experts surveyed report this increase, and 62% note an increase compared to ten years ago. Plastic and composite materials in particular make up 57% of illegal waste, closely followed by cigarettes, disposable drink cups and chewing gum.

As the easing of coronavirus-related restrictions means more people are spending time outdoors, many are consuming their food and drinks “on the go”. But not everything ends up in the designated waste container. So action is needed here! Cities and municipalities are already using various measures to combat littering, from expanding waste containers to awareness-raising measures.

Given these problems, it is of utmost importance for Cologne to mobilize the community and work together for a clean city. It is clear that the Waste Framework Directive is not only a legal, but also a social mandate that we must face up to. Stay tuned, Cologne – there is still a lot to do!

For more information you can visit the article Express, City of Cologne and Federal Environment Agency read up.