Clean City: Report on Berlin's strategy for more cleanliness

With its "Clean City" strategy, the Berlin Senate is promoting waste avoidance and proper waste disposal as well as measures for sustainable re-use, up-cycling and recycling. In its meeting today, the Senate adopted a report on implementation.

The report was presented by Franziska Giffey, senator for economics, energy and operations. "We still have a cleanliness problem in the city," the SPD politician said on Tuesday after the Senate meeting. She stated that there was still too much pollution in some parts of the city, a problem that the Senate needed to tackle. Therefore, the funds for the Berlin city cleaning company BSR would be increased in the next double budget in the double-digit millions. The main goal is to be able to better clean more playgrounds and green spaces.

Large containers for areas with waste disposal problems

According to Giffey, BSR empties around 27,000 waste containers on public streets and in parks and green spaces. Following a successful trial phase on Hermannplatz in Neukölln, there are now plans to set up additional large special containers for areas with waste disposal problems or priority locations. BSR has ordered 100 of these special containers, which can be used flexibly. Giffey spoke of four main culprits when it comes to improper waste disposal: "cigarette butts, bottle caps, feces and cardboard boxes." Every single citizen could contribute to improvements here through prudent behavior.

BSR removes illegally dumped garbage citywide

According to a report by Giffey to the House of Representatives on the current status of the "Clean City" strategy, BSR collected around 24,000 cubic meters of waste in parks, playgrounds and other green spaces in 2022. Since a new legal regulation in May 2023, BSR has been removing illegally deposited waste citywide from a single source. This applies to public streets, where citizens often dispose of bulky waste or construction debris, as well as public green spaces and recreational areas and state-owned forests. In recent months, BSR cleaned a total of 79 parks, playgrounds and other green spaces in Berlin, according to the report.

"Tiptapp" app extended until June 2024

Giffey stated that citizens had submitted 115,449 reports of illegal waste dumping via the "Ordnungsamt online" app in 2022 - ten percent less than the year before. One possible reason could be the "faster regular disposal of bulky waste," Giffey said, but there were certainly other reasons. According to Giffey, the "Tiptapp" app, which has been launched in June 2022, was extended until June 2024. The app lets citizens network to organize trips to BSR recycling centers quickly and easily. The digital neighborhood assistance is particularly attractive for people who cannot drive themselves to the recycling center because they lack a car, time or support in their private environment, Giffey said.