More than 100 German cities and municipalities are interested in introducing a single-use packaging tax. This is the result of a survey conducted by Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) among cities and municipalities.
According to DUH, more and more cities and municipalities are considering the introduction of a municipal single-use packaging tax, including cities such as Bamberg, Kiel, Herne, Bremerhaven and Ludwigshafen. Four cities and one municipality have already introduced the packaging tax. Pressure is therefore growing on Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke to finally introduce a nationwide levy on disposable tableware to prevent a patchwork of local authorities.
According to the environmental and consumer protection organisation, 47 other cities are interested in introducing a municipal packaging tax, but do not want to introduce it. a decision on the constitutional complaint of a McDonald's franchisee against the Tübingen packaging tax, which, according to the court, is due to take place this year. A total of 48 cities, such as Göttingen, Aschaffenburg and Mannheim, have shown a fundamental interest in a one-way tax.
In German cities and municipalities 5.8 billion disposable beverage cups and 4.3 billion disposable food boxes annually This not only pollutes the environment, but also wastes large amounts of resources. According to the DUH, local authorities have so far received too little support from the German government in the fight against these mountains of waste. The fact that there is no widespread switch from disposable to reusable without financial incentives is shown by the fact that the so far unsuccessful reusable packaging obligation, which lacks measures to financially incentivise reusable packaging.
„The interest shown by more than 100 cities in introducing a municipal packaging tax proves that local authorities are fed up with single-use waste. In addition to Constance, Heidelberg and Kleinmachnow, Freiburg also introduced a single-use tax a few weeks ago. This means that more and more cities are joining our call for a municipal consumption tax. The example of Tübingen shows how effective this is. Its introduction there has led to a sharp increase in the supply of reusable packaging. In Tübingen, the proportion of reusable packaging in relation to the population is now the highest in the whole of Germany. Climate-damaging single-use packaging must become more expensive than the environmentally friendly reusable solution.“
Barbara Metz, DUH Federal Managing Director
The importance of the municipal packaging tax for sustainable urban development is emphasised by Heidelberg's Lord Mayor Eckart Würzner, where it is to be introduced from 2025: „The city of Heidelberg is committed to sustainable urban development. The Packaging tax is a component of this, to motivate people to switch to reusable packaging, for example for lunch. This will reduce the amount of waste in public spaces and improve the cityscape.“
In Freiburg, the municipal council passed a resolution on 23 April 2024 to introduce a municipal consumption tax on disposable tableware. Freiburg's Lord Mayor Martin Horn emphasises the contribution of this measure to waste avoidance and the promotion of reusable items: „In Freiburg, we are focusing heavily on education and environmental education in order to avoid waste. We are also expanding the infrastructure - Freiburg residents have just been able to decide for themselves where to place numerous additional rubbish bins to make it even easier to dispose of their waste. And yet, unfortunately, littering in the cityscape has been increasing for years. To-go packaging in particular is a problem. However, we want a clean and environmentally friendly city for everyone - with less waste and more reusable. That's why we in Freiburg have now on the road to packaging tax."
The example of the Brandenburg town of Kleinmachnow, where this will come into force from 2025, shows that even small municipalities can introduce a single-use packaging tax. Mayor Michael Grubert explains: „Food and drink packaging from snack bars and supermarkets is often not disposed of properly, but ends up in our green spaces, on roadsides and in bodies of water, where it has to be painstakingly removed. I expect our packaging tax to ensure that the Switching to multi-packaging is easier, even if disposable packaging is no longer available free of charge.“
Source: DUH
