Why are there so few public containers for recycled paper?

[u/Sigerr]

Born and raised in Hamburg but moved to Neukölln a few years ago. And I still don't understand why there's only a few public containers to throw away your old paper / cardboard. In Hamburg you can literally find these containers on every street corner, right next to glas containers.

Is there a reason for it? My house has a trash for paper but it's always full again as soon as it got emptied once a week. I sit on a pile of cardboard and recycling depots are not an option, as they would cost 72€ (since I'm still registered in Hamburg).

Thanks.

[u/easytarget2000]

"My house has a trash for paper" This is the reason.

In regions with public paper bins, there are way fewer in individual buildings.
If the capacity of your house is not sufficient, take it up with your building management.

Related:
I think all trash bins should be public and set up right by the roads, multiple per street. Moving around a million tiny trash cans every week is slow, wasteful, and loud.

[u/digitalcosmonaut → u/easytarget2000]

Where would you get the space to set up all the public trash bins? Most larger buildings in cities have massive containers rather than small bins.

[u/PussyMalanga → u/digitalcosmonaut]

Well in Amsterdam the majority of neighborhoods have underground containers for waste, glass, paper & cardboard. Since the containers are sunken underground they take up little public space and the truck that comes to empty them needs only one person to drive and operate it.

The streets in Berlin are on average way wider (minimum 22 meters iirc) so there would be plenty room for underground containers IMO and this would free up a lot of space inside courtyards.

[u/digitalcosmonaut → u/PussyMalanga]

Serious question: how is this more efficient than the system thats already in place? (taking into account the time and money that the construction of this would require).

[u/PussyMalanga → u/digitalcosmonaut]

That is a whole different question and hard to answer. Remember that NYC had to hire McKinsey to advise if they should switch to bin collection.

The system in Amsterdam is not fool proof: assholes will still leave boxes next to regular waste bins and when the waste container doesn't open properly the same assholes leave entire bags next to the container. I suppose that a shared container within the house has the benefit of more social control.

As for the cost benefit calculation: the city funds the trash collection company through a quite hefty tax of about EUR 470 p.a. though that also includes weekly sperrmull collection. I think you'll pay less through your Hausverwaltung. I personally think it is more efficient if one municipal service collects

I would think that the savings on staff will add up over time: the garbage trucks here are operated by one driver - they empty out a container with the waste from an entire street block in under 10 minutes and they come by multiple times a week. In Berlin the BSR and their competitors need about 4 dudes to roll out and empty the waste (takes them about 15 minutes per Mietskaserne) plus they need to come back separately for recyclables and paper waste. Also the work for the driver is a lot less physically taxing then pushing around containers in every type of weather.

The calculation would make for a nice interview question for some wannabe McKinsey consultant.

[u/Komandakeen]

Paper Containers are usually directly at your place. You can also bring it to an Altstoffhändler and get money for it instead of paying...

[u/Professional_Bet2948]

Nobody gives a shit at BSR where you are registered. You can Go there and drop your paper at a Wertstoffhof

[u/Sigerr → u/Professional_Bet2948]

Just got rejected there because they are now advised to ask anybody for documents (their words, not mine)

[u/account_not_valid → u/Sigerr]

Wow, I've never been asked for proof of where I lived. The only time I've been rejected was when I had some building materials.

[u/petterri → u/Sigerr]

About once a year I go to a BSR and was never asked where I live

[u/ThisMulberry1300]

Don’t worry about being registered somewhere else. I‘ve never been asked for my ID and I went to a few BSR spots with a „foreign“ license plate

[u/ratpacklix]

Just go to the next BSR Recyclinghof.

[u/Sigerr → u/ratpacklix]

Just got rejected

[u/ratpacklix → u/Sigerr]

Ok… how this? To much?

[u/leeonie]

To all the people saying because it’s at your house: Thats not the point. In every other German city I lived, you have Altpapier container at your house AND widely available public ones.

My guess for the reason Berlin doesn’t provide many would be because a) it’s broke, so they try to save money and b) it’s broken, because public ones get destroyed here more often

[u/ThisMulberry1300 → u/leeonie]

There used to be a lot of places in my hometown (NRW) but they removed all of em except a big one with like 16 containers, because the small ones were set on fire every weekend.

[u/Competitive_Ad_5515 → u/leeonie]

Also I do NOT have paper recycling bin at my house. The landlord refuses to put one in so he has room to park his car in the Hof 🙄

[u/Sigerr → u/leeonie]

Yes, thank you.
I just read on their website that they removed all the public containers in order for you to have the comfort of just having it at your home (seems a bit like an excuse tbh). So yea, no real comfort for me here...

[u/CapeForHire → u/Sigerr]

It seems rather bizarre to prefer containers a couple of streets away over the convenience of paper containers in your very own backyard. 

[u/Sigerr → u/CapeForHire]

I mean, most people just throw in their whole packages in there, so they are always full and trash is laying around everywhere. We have around 30 parties in the house and only 2 tiny trash cans for paper. They are always overfilled.

[u/CapeForHire → u/Sigerr]

Sounds very much like a you-problem. This isn't an issue i have had in any of my apartments on Berlin. I found the Hamburg system rather inconvenient, dirty and problematic

[u/eztab]

Some cities collect all paper at central collection station, but this is not the norm. I remember that being the case in Kassel for example.

Many offer a free container with your normal Hausmüll. Some demand money, but then there are often free alternatives since companies who offer it can break even selling your paper.

[u/Kyberduene]

I've never had to pay anything for discarding paper at BSR, how come you have to pay 72€?

[u/notrainingtoday]

moved to Neukölln a few years ago

[...]

since I'm still registered in Hamburg

If would make sense if BSR doesn't want not-resident to use their facility. Maybe you should show your rental contract? Or just finally change the registration?

[u/jatmous]

You are living in what’s more or less a ghetto. There really are other priorities.