© dpa
The Senate is launching a campaign against bulky waste on Berlin's streets. (File photo)
© dpa
Old mattresses and trash are scattered along a street in Friedrichshain. (File photo)
The Senate plans to launch a campaign to combat the illegal dumping of bulky waste on Berlin’s streets.
The Senate Administration announced that fines had already been increased last year and that the campaign "Illegal Parking Comes at a Price" is now intended to bring even greater attention to the issue. Ultimately, the cost of towing alone amounted to more than 13 million euros in taxpayer money last year.
"Illegal dumping has become an increasingly serious problem in recent years." Broken shelves, defective washing machines, and other appliances are regularly discarded. The campaign is therefore also intended to highlight the many options for legal disposal. Senator for Transportation and the Environment Ute Bonde (CDU) emphasized at the launch: "Our campaign is aimed at those who leave their bulky waste, electrical appliances, and scrap metal in public spaces, thereby literally dumping their problem on others. Such behavior is no trivial matter - it is a sin against nature and society and will be punished with appropriate fines."
The city sanitation agency BSR stated that there are many good options for waste disposal: the 14 BSR recycling centers, the BSR bulky waste pickup service, the Tiptapp app to help arrange transportation for bulky waste disposal, and the free neighborhood collection days in the districts. "There are also numerous legal options for waste disposal in Berlin for business owners."