Donation boxes on the doorstep: rules must be observed - fines of up to 5000 euros possible
Created: 08/05/2022 17:18
By: Stella Henrich
A well-intentioned donation box can become a big annoyance.
Sometimes there is even a fine if you simply leave your household effects in front of the door.
Munich - Actually, it should be a "gift box".
Such boxes can be found again and again on sidewalks, in front of house entrances or on the sidewalk.
Filled with mucked-out books, children's toys, household appliances, old clothes and some odds and ends from private mothballs.
A well-intentioned gesture from the neighbor who is moving, clearing the attic or just wants to make others happy with a few small things.
But be careful: what looks like a well-intentioned donation to one person may be recognized by another as an indiscriminate dumping of rubbish that nobody wants.
The Association of Municipal Enterprises (VKU) warns that the boundary between donation and uncontrolled household waste is very close together.
Berliners are therefore warning against leaving broken items of daily use on the street ,
reports the online portal
chip.de.
So it is an illegal deposit if nobody takes care of the deposited things.
In the end, even well-intentioned donations could be illegal and result in hefty fines.
Household waste or “gift box”: fines of up to 5,000 euros possible
The VKU warns that household items such as dishes and clothing can be fined up to 200 euros.
Objects with sharp edges or liquids cost 300 to 500 euros.
If you put electronic devices on the street, your municipality can even fine you up to 5000 euros.
So not a piece of cake.
And a topic that repeatedly causes tempers to boil over at local advisory board meetings at the municipal level and employs regulatory agencies across the country, whose employees here and there are on the lookout for garbage sinners - as the example from Garmisch-Partenkirchen shows.
It doesn't really have to come to that.
Because if you want to get rid of your rubbish or a donation box, according to the VKU, you can get a permit from the responsible regulatory office.
In most cases, citizens can now even apply online via their municipality's website.
With the permission granted, cardboard boxes can even be left on the sidewalk for several days.
Household rubbish or a box to give away: the sidewalk must not be blocked
However, if you put a box on the street, you have to make sure that the sidewalk remains free for pedestrians, wheelchair users, parents with prams and older people with walkers.
In order to avoid disputes and costs with the fire brigade, escape routes and fire brigade entrances must not be blocked with donation boxes.
Otherwise there are penalties, the VKU warns.
How come over?
This is definitely not a donation box and also not an art installation for garbage.
The sidewalk is littered and impassable for pedestrians.
© Mario Aurich/imago
Tips for a donation box:
also read
Ten known foods that can be toxic or even deadly
"What have you done with my Milka?"
Do not leave boxes in front of the door in the rain
Donate only adult items
Donate only what you would take with you
Don't leave gift boxes outside the door for more than 24 hours.
Smart people who don't know what to do with their things like to put something in front of their own door.
Hoping someone else can use it.
After all, it's easier than taking care of the disposal of a few pots yourself, especially if you don't know which bin the cooking pot actually belongs in.
Those who don't want to end up sitting on their household rubbish because the bins provided aren't enough for them should inform their landlord.
According to the Haus und Grund Germany owners’ association, every tenant has the right to dispose of their rubbish appropriately.
Almost everyone disposes of these things incorrectly - are you one of them?
View photo gallery
Our consumer newsletter will keep you up to date on consumer information and product recalls.
