The project organizers sent out a call to clean up the shores of the Rhine to prevent the garbage from being swept down the river to the North Sea. Last year, about 10,000 people joined the cleanup campaign and collected 100 metric tons of garbage. This time, the team wants to go one better – they aim to break the 200-ton mark! Things look very promising. Since May, the initiative has already mobilized helpers in 100 districts on both sides of the Rhine. “This time we expect 20,000 helpers to join in the Rhine cleanup and do their bit to remove waste from the Rhine shores,” predicts Ingo Lentz from the RhineCleanUp Team.

100.000 bags from 100 percent recycled post-consumer waste

A project of this size depends heavily on sponsors and local garbage disposal companies, either to equip the helpers or transport the garbage to waste disposal centers. “So, it was great news for us when Reifenhäuser signaled they wanted to back our project,” says Lentz. The idea originated in 2018 during the Reifenhäuser Marine Litter project when Lentz first contacted Reifenhäuser employees with the request whether Reifenhäuser could donate sustainable garbage bags. The project soon took off thanks to Reifenhäuser’s extensive network and the right partners. Following the company’s initiative, the EREMA Group, Verpa Folie Weidhausen, and FVH Lobbe pledged their support. The result? 100,000 garbage bags made from 100 percent recycled post-consumer waste.