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Because off-base residents in the KMC continue to request information about proper disposal of household garbage and recyclables, here is an overview of Germany’s garbage and recyclables program:
RC use is authorized only for on-base military family housing residents and installation facility managers.
If off-base residents bring their garbage and recyclables to an on-base RC, it would multiply disposal costs.
Off-base residents can profit off the curb-side trash pickup after they learn how the program works and what they need to do to comply with it.
Compliance – Germany’s garbage and recyclables program is structured to meet long range recycling objectives. Trash should be separated into four different categories: Paper, light-fraction, glass and garbage. Three of the four are picked up at residents’ curb-sides. Households are provided with a rolling blue container for recyclable paper. Families living in Kaiserslautern-city and some surrounding villages will instead place their paper recyclables into specific white paper bags for curb-side collection. Both the county and city collection systems provide rolling black containers for garbage. For light-fraction waste (milk cartons, plastics, cans, aluminum foil, etc,), residents will use yellow plastic bags provided at no cost by the program.
Paper – Anyone generating more recyclable paper than their rolling blue container can hold can usually place the additional paper beside the container. The collection services will pick it up provided it is properly separated, neatly stacked and not scattered.
Light Fraction – There is no limit to the number of yellow bags residents can leave for pick up.
Bulk Refuse – All residents can schedule a special bulk pick up twice a year.
Glass – Recyclable glass will not be collected from the curb-side. Instead, residents should take it to a glass collection center for deposit into the correct color-coded containers.
Garbage – The capacity of the black garbage containers is based upon family size. Residents who generate more garbage than their containers hold may not be separating all recyclables. If the garbage container is still too small, residents may request and pay for a larger container or buy a few special black garbage “overflow” bags to hold excess garbage and place alongside the garbage container at the curb.
Hazardous household materials – Hazardous household materials like detergents or pesticides can be dropped off at an off-base community recycle center. The CRC charges a fee for dropping off car batteries, old motor oil and antifreeze.
PCS departure moves – Off-base residents PCSing may find their community recycle pick up schedule will not meet their final house-clearing needs. In this case, on-base RCs will accept a final drop-off of waste materials but residents will need to bring orders to validate the PCS status.
For more information, call the KMC Recycle Center at 480-6919. German landlords and neighbors are also great sources for help.
(Courtesy of 735th Civil Engineer Squadron)
