As a result, despite an urgent appeal from the Mainz and Mainz-Bingen Municipal Waste Management Authority (KAW) to please postpone the disposal of used textiles until a later date, there were increasing instances of piles of clothing being left around the used clothing containers. 

Placing used clothing next to the containers is prohibited for many reasons: For one thing, the garments are more likely to become soiled because they are sometimes left loose, the bags are not always properly sealed, or they are torn open by passersby. Contaminated clothing can no longer be sent to the secondhand market. This practice is not only annoying but also socially irresponsible, as these garments can no longer be made available to those in need. 

Furthermore, bags of used clothing dumped haphazardly attract additional trash, thereby creating an unsightly urban landscape—which is hardly a pleasant sight for residents or visitors to the city of Mainz.

Last but not least, simply placing used clothing and other waste next to the collection containers constitutes illegal dumping and is therefore an administrative offense. In such cases, a fine may be imposed.

For these urgent reasons, the KAW asks that clothing be disposed of exclusively in bags and placed inside the collection containers. If the containers are full, please notify the KAW by calling 06131 / 12 34 56, and the clothing should be taken back home. Alternatively, clothing can be dropped off at recycling centers and waste disposal facilities. There, staff keep an eye on the containers, which helps prevent bags from being torn open and rummaged through, thereby keeping the clothing clean.