Lid open, rubbish in, everything gone! FES demonstrates new ways of waste disposal in Frankfurt using underground containers.

Emptying possible quickly and quietly even in dense urban areas

During a press event, FES Frankfurter Entsorgungs- und Service GmbH, together with the Environmental Office of the City of Frankfurt am Main, demonstrated the advantages of waste disposal using underground containers. These are real space savers, as they appear above ground only as a slim column with a loading flap, but underground have the capacity of four large waste containers (each with a capacity of 1,100 liters).

FES Managing Director Dirk Remmert explained during the event that the underground systems offer numerous advantages in the urban area compared to conventional waste containers. “With digital fill level monitoring, emptying can be planned precisely. This prevents overfilling of containers and keeps the area around the containers clean. In addition, emptying is quick and quiet, which makes it pleasant for residents.”

Michael Eickenboom, Head of Waste Management and Street Cleaning at the Environmental Office of the City of Frankfurt am Main, added: “Underground containers are ideal in dense urban areas due to their small footprint. With demand-based emptying, we achieve a fee structure that particularly rewards waste prevention.”

Vandalism is generally not an issue with underground containers, as the systems are firmly anchored in the ground. The loading flap is opened with a key, ensuring no foreign waste is deposited. The system is also more accessible than conventional containers. Braille indicates which type of waste can be deposited in each container. A low loading flap makes it easy for wheelchair users to dispose of their waste independently. For waste collection staff, underground containers create a modern workplace that is physically less demanding (containers are pulled out and emptied using a crane attachment) and interesting and versatile through the use of digital tools (digital fill level monitoring, digital tracking of fill level until emptying).

Currently, around 170 underground containers are in operation or planned in Frankfurt, with more to follow.

However, Michael Eickenboom also pointed out a disadvantage of the system: “Post-sorting of waste is not possible with underground containers. For resource conservation, it is particularly important that users separate their waste properly and keep bio-waste free from plastics or other waste.”