“Garbage detectives” were on the road in autumn 2020 and spring 2021 to take a deep look into around 2,000 organic bins. It was about plastic bags and other contaminants that do not belong in the organic waste and reduce the quality of the compost produced from them. The controls were a complete success, with the lightly contaminated organic bins (classification yellow) there was a decrease of 71 percent, with the heavily polluted bins (classification red) by as much as 85 percent. That is why there should be random manual controls in the run-up to emptying in the future. The Committee for Environment and Sustainability decided this unanimously, but before that there was criticism that nothing is known about the costs and duration.
In January 2020, the district commissioned the environmental office Fabion from Würzburg with the controls that have now been evaluated. The first campaign in autumn 2020 was accompanied by strong public relations. The second campaign in spring 2021, however, was not announced in advance.
Priorities that were known to be problematic were checked. How much rubbish and plastic there is in organic waste can not only be seen when it is delivered to the Humuswerk Main-Spessart, the garbage truck bins are also equipped with cameras. In addition to the old town areas in all four district towns, in Karlstadt im Wurzgrund and on Kalvarienberg (mainly single-family houses), in Lohr in the Lindig settlement (mainly multi-family houses), in Marktheidenfeld on Dillberg (mixed) and in Gemünden in Gartenstraße (more single-family houses) and Bergstraße (mixed) controlled.
78 red stickers were distributed
Of the 930 organic bins at the initial inspection in autumn, 660 were properly filled, 192 were given yellow stickers due to slight defects, while 78 were given red stickers, which were initially not emptied. The proportion of rejected tons was highest in Gemünden (33 percent) and lowest in Lohr (25 percent), where the humus plant had already checked shortly before. At the follow-up inspection in autumn two weeks later, of the 301 organic bins checked, 135 yellow and 47 red stickers were given, which corresponds to a decrease of 30 and 40 percent respectively.
At the first follow-up inspection in spring, 944 organic bins were checked, 774 were free of defects, 134 were filled with slight and 36 with severe defects. The proportion of rejected tons was now lowest in Gemünden (14 percent) and highest in Lohr (21 percent). During the follow-up inspection, only 56 of the 162 organic bins checked received 56 yellow and twelve red stickers.
If one compares the controls in autumn and spring, there was a 71 percent decrease in organic bins with slight defects and yellow stickers, with the greatest drop in Karlstadt (82 percent) and Gemünden (80 percent). The development of the heavily loaded bins with red stickers was even clearer, with a decrease of 85 percent. The biggest declines were in Karlstadt (91 percent) and Lohr (94 percent). However, the district office had repeatedly withdrawn tons classified with red without replacement. This is allowed in the statutes as an “ultima ratio”, only concerned a few tons and took place in agreement with the property managers concerned. These users have to face higher additional costs due to the additional waste bins they need, and according to the caretaker they are not able to use the bio bins properly.
The decision for future random manual controls was not about a specific contract award, rather the administration should negotiate an agreement with the companies Kirsch and Sohne and the Reterra Humuswerk Main-Spessart (which would then have to be decided separately). In addition, it should be examined how a permanent quality assurance of the biowaste can be carried out in the most sensible and economical way. This also includes technical detection systems.
–
