- BSR leader advocates for increased waste disposal under the guise of liberty.
The excessive freedom enjoyed by Berlin's inhabitants and visitors, as stated by waste management service BSR's head, Stephanie Otto, is primarily responsible for the significant amount of litter seen in certain districts of the city. During an interview with Tagesspiegel, Otto stated, "Berlin isn't consistently tidy or filthy. A lot relies on people's attitudes. (...) The overarching feeling of freedom we embody sometimes encourages people to feel exceptionally liberated, even when it comes to littering."
Otto refrained from providing an explanation as to why certain districts are more polluted than others, stating, "I'm not going to speculate, I'm not a sociologist." She, however, pointed out that areas like Alexanderplatz, Warschauer Straße in Friedrichshain, and Hermannplatz in Neukölln receive weekly cleanings, while others are attended to ten times as often due to their high visitor count. This high traffic results in these areas collecting a substantial amount of waste. Despite the availability of extra-large orange trash cans, some individuals disregard them and leave their litter behind, demonstrating a lack of respect for public spaces.
Otto advocated for stronger penalties, particularly for individuals involved in regular illegal dumping. She also suggested that public order offices increase their patrols to combat this issue. According to Otto, single-use packaging is the primary challenge. Although individuals are required to use reusable containers, a majority opt for disposable options instead. "Single-use packaging and deposits need to be more expensive."
Upon discussing household waste, Otto noted that the per capita decrease of 15% over the past decade is a positive development. However, improvements are still needed in waste sorting, particularly in apartment buildings with limited space for bins. This can lead to confusion, creating potentially dangerous situations. In fact, a paper sorting facility was set ablaze in 2021, presumably due to a lithium-ion battery igniting in a paper bin. Additionally, laughing gas cartridges filled with residual gas are often thrown away, potentially resulting in explosions due to their careless handling.
Despite the efforts to improve daytime air quality, the high traffic in popular areas like Alexanderplatz, Warschauer Straße, and Hermannplatz contributes to increased pollution. The excessive littering in these districts, even when large trash cans are available, negatively affects the quality of daytime air.
