Anger over dumps in Bonn Expensive disposal
Bonn · Just dumped: The parking lot near the sports ground in Graurheindorf has turned into an unregulated tip, with garbage, bulky waste and building rubble. Not an isolated case in Bonn.
Rubbish bags ripped-open, disposable plates, broken glass and left-over food are spread all over the ground. As well as that, green waste and an old bed frame: The parking lot beside the sports ground in Graurheindorf has turned into an unregulated tip again and again - angering residents. „At the start it was only happening sporadically, but by now it is practically every day“, says one resident. Particularly after weekends, garbage, building rubble and toxic substances get dumped there.
According to the residents, the users of the neighbouring garden plots are leaving their rubbish behind there, but some of it seems to be thrown out of cars as well. The dump is not just an ugly sight but also attracts vermin and rats. „It is really chaotic“, says one resident.
Bonnorange (the waste and recycling company) is aware of the problem: „There are large amounts of garbage dumped there regularly, so that the staff of the waste management companies are removing piles of rubbish.“ The parking lot becomes in fact a drop-in-centre for the mobile green container, collecting green waste there, but is by no means an official collection point for green or bulky waste.
Dumping rubbish there illegally is a administrative offence and can be fined by up to 5,100 Euro. Bringing the people responsible to justice, proves difficult, however. „Generally, we are searching the garbage for clues, which might provide a link to the person who caused this“, according to the Bonn city council. By looking at addresses on old envelopes or other clues, it is tried to identify the perpetrators, to bring them to justice.
The parking lot in Graurheindorf is not an isolated case. „Secluded parking lots or country lanes, container areas and mobile green container spots are often affected“, according to Bonnorange. Other problem areas include the parking lot at the Siegaue, the cul-de-sac at the Hainstraße in Endenich, the areas under the Viktoriabrücke, the Reuterbrücke and the Nordbrücke as well as the green areas near the Philosophenring.
Also, at the Pfarrer-Minartz-Straße in Bad Godesberg, the Servatiusstraße in Dottendorf, the Ürziger Straße in Friesdorf, the Schießstandweg on the Hardtberg as well as at the Oppelner Straße and the Hohe Straße in Tannenbusch, garbage bags are being dumped again and again. In the past year alone, the costs to remove unregulated tips have mounted to 160,000 Euro, says Bonnorange, trending upwards.
The residents around the sports ground in Graurheindorf are demanding stricter controls and warning signs to discourage potential sinners. During the past year, the authorities checked the area several times, because green waste was dumped there often.
For this year, there has been no information yet, says the city council when asked. The city is appealing to the citizens to be attentive, and call the authorities or contact the online „Mängelmelder“ (problem detector) on the council’s website. The illegal dumps will then be removed quickly. „It is just impossible to check up constantly on illegal dumps in the entire city“, according to the city council.
Please go to anliegen.bonn.de if you want to report any illegal dumping.
(Original text: Sabrina Bauer / Translation: Mareike Graepel)
