Littering is the careless discarding and leaving of waste, primarily in parks and open countryside, but also on roads and sidewalks.

Littering in public spaces is unfortunately a perennial issue: empty pretzel bags on the grass, cigarette butts on lawns and paths, disposable cups left behind on park benches, bottle caps on the grass by the Rhine, broken glass bottles in the city and on the banks of the Rhine.

"I would like to appeal to everyone to be considerate of each other and of nature, to produce as little waste as possible, and to dispose of any waste that does accumulate properly," says Janina Steinkrüger, Head of the Department of Green Spaces and Environment.

According to a Europe-wide study, the following items are most commonly discarded carelessly in cities:

1. Cigarette butts (58.3%)
2. Plastic packaging (11.6%)

The consequences of this behavior are reflected in cleaning costs and environmental pollution. If an area is already heavily littered, this encourages people to dump more waste in the same place.

In addition to increased cleaning costs for the general public, this behavior can also lead to microplastics entering the environment, which can cause illness or even death in animals and are also unhealthy for humans.

Broken glass on sidewalks and bike paths, in city centers, and in green spaces is not only unsightly but also dangerous: people, especially small children and animals, can injure themselves, and tires can be damaged. Therefore, we urge you to handle glass containers with care and to use reusable containers whenever possible. These bottles or jars are used an average of 50 times and then simply recycled to make new glass containers.

If you do use disposable glass, ideally dispose of it in the glass recycling bin at home or at a recycling center. We also set up separate glass igloos or containers at large events in Mainz. 

In the state capital of Mainz, you will already find a good supply of public waste bins in parks, green spaces, and public transport areas.

Further measures include:

• Please be mindful: don't go into town expecting to drop everything wherever you go.
• If you are a smoker, please use a pocket ashtray or a small screw-top jar for ash and cigarette butts. Small children, dogs, and the entire environment will thank you!
• Use public trash cans and look for the nearest one if one is full, or please take your trash with you.
• Use reusable items and avoid takeaway food in disposable packaging.
• And another tip for Mainz: don't eat and drink while walking, which is uncomfortable. Stop off at one of Mainz's cozy restaurants and cafés and take your time :-)