Single-use takeaway packaging is set to be taxed in Osnabrück from 2027. With the current resolution by the city council, Osnabrück joins the list of cities actively combating environmental pollution caused by single-use packaging. Previously, Tübingen, Konstanz, Freiburg, and Potsdam had already implemented similar measures.
Each year, over 19 million single-use to-go cups and food boxes are generated as waste in Osnabrück, with many carelessly discarded in public spaces or the environment. The resulting costs for the city are considerable. In addition to the direct disposal costs incurred by clearing up improperly disposed of packaging, the provision and emptying of public waste bins also place a burden on municipal finances. The new tax is intended not only to reduce waste but also to achieve a fairer distribution of disposal costs.
Signalling effect for other cities
Barbara Metz, Managing Director of the German Environmental Aid, welcomes the decision by the City of Osnabrück as a long overdue step and sees it as an important signal for further cities. She demands that more municipalities should follow the example of Osnabrück, Konstanz and Tübingen. „The pressure for federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider to implement a nationwide, comprehensive tax on single-use packaging is growing with every municipality that courageously takes the lead,“ said Metz.
A way to less waste
The tax on single-use packaging is part of a broader approach to reduce waste levels and ease the burden on the environment. Financial incentives are intended to encourage consumers to use reusable alternatives.
Source: German Environmental Aid
