On September 17, 2022, the World Cleanup Day takes place. According to the organizers, it is the largest "bottom-up citizen movement" in the world to eliminate pollution and plastic waste. The campaign counts nearly 200,000 participants annually in Germany. They collect and dispose of over 1,000 tons of illegally dumped waste.
The city of Völklingen, certified as a "World CleanUp Day Municipality," is once again participating in the action day this year.
Völklingen battles annually with more than 150 tons of illegally dumped waste. Mayor Christiane Blatt: „Waste and plastic litter are carelessly disposed of on our streets as well as in parks, forests, and along banks. This is illegal on the one hand and also damages our environment. This annoys me, our employees, and many other citizens very much. I am often approached about this. Our staff in the municipal specialist departments can hardly keep up with removing these remnants and identifying the offenders. Therefore, I think it is great when volunteers come together to help with the cleanup.“ When illegal trash piles are found and reported, the local police authority tries to identify the litterers and punish the administrative offense with a fine.
All clubs and associations, companies, as well as citizens are called upon to actively participate in the "World Clean-Up Day" campaign and contribute to cleaning up the environment through voluntary efforts.
The coordination of volunteers is carried out by the city of Völklingen, Department of Public Facilities. Volunteers are asked to wear sturdy footwear, gloves, and safety vests, and to deposit the waste collected from the environment in garbage bags at designated collection points. Proper disposal is handled by the city of Völklingen.
