District responds to criticism: Garbage fees are falling drastically by up to 56%!

District responds to criticism: Garbage fees are falling drastically by up to 56%!

In Neuer-Ulm, a debate about garbage fees is causing a stir. After harsh criticism of the new waste system, District Administrator Eva Treu from the CSU has now made suggestions for improvements. The new plan calls for a drastic reduction in waste disposal fees in eleven municipalities, such as the Augsburger Allgemeine reported. This measure should result in the planned fees being reduced by up to 56 percent in 2026 and 2027.

One reason for this reduction is the faster billing of the existing funds of 12 million euros in the waste management company (AWB). The expenses should be offset within two years instead of three years. The majority of the works committee agrees to the approach, which will significantly reduce the burden on citizens in the near future.

Waste management background

It is no coincidence that the history of waste management in Germany is as comprehensive as it is today. The first legal foundations were created as early as the 19th century after a connection between poor urban hygiene and diseases such as cholera was recognized. With the Waste Disposal Act of 1972, this development received its first national framework. Today, German waste law is based on the Circular Economy Act (KrWG), which was last amended in 2020. In this context, a five-stage waste hierarchy was formulated, ranging from waste prevention to disposal, like this Federal Environment Agency executes.

A central component of the KrWG is the obligation to separately collect waste paper, waste glass, plastic waste and organic waste, which has existed since 2015. This separation is important in order to make the best possible use of the material potential of the waste. After all, Germany generates a net amount of waste of around 350 million tons every year. Of this, construction and demolition waste makes up around 60 percent, while municipal waste accounts for around 14 percent and hazardous waste around 5 percent.

Global challenges of waste management

Not only in Germany, but also worldwide, the amount of waste is increasing rapidly. It is estimated that around two billion people do not have access to regular waste collection. This problem is one of the four biggest challenges of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The UN and German development cooperation are therefore working to ensure environmentally friendly management of all waste. Measures to reduce waste, reuse products and recycle help reduce the amount of waste, like this Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development emphasized.

With a clear focus on cities, where the majority of resource use takes place, German development cooperation aims to train skilled workers and create sustainable business models. A lot can be achieved, particularly in the catering industry, where the use of reusable solutions is required. This initiative could also inspire the local economy in Bavaria to create more environmentally friendly alternatives and thus make a valuable contribution to the circular economy.

Overall, it shows that the discussion about reducing garbage fees in Neuer-Ulm is not just a local matter, but part of a larger, global trend towards sustainable waste management and resource protection. This makes it clear: It is high time to focus on sustainable solutions!