The German Environment Minister, Svenja Schulze, on Monday, August 12, 2019 announced plans to force companies that manufacture single-use disposable products, such as cigarettes or coffee cups to contribute to the cleaning and maintenance of streets and parks.
According to Schulze, inattentive littering in public spaces is running rampant and to help curb littering, companies needed to help support communities financially.
She, however, planned to present the legal framework for the measure by 2021. The measure is designed to sensitise companies to produce more reusable items.
Meanwhile, the Germany’s Association for Local Utilities (VKU) said it would conduct representative research for one year to determine how much of the litter in public spaces was created by single-use disposables and cigarettes.
The President of VKU, Michael Ebling, said up to two thirds of the contents of public waste were made up of disposable packaging. Ebling added that in the city of Maniz, where he is also a mayor, disposable packaging represents 120 tons of litter per year.
