"Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand Bottles Gathered: It's Your Birthday, Time to Return Your Deposits!"
In the bustling city of Hamburg, the collaboration between social enterprise Hinz&Kunzt, Hamburg Airport, and Green Dot is marking its second year with impressive results. The initiative, known as the "Deposit your Bottle" project, aims to promote sustainable disposal and recycling of beverage containers at the airport.
Launched a year ago, the project has already collected an impressive 350,000 deposit bottles, financing three full-time positions. The project's success is due in part to the dedication of its team, which includes three deposit managers hired by Hinz&Kunzt. These men, who have taken on collecting water bottle lids for the Rotary project "Lids against Polio" voluntarily, can be found diligently working at the airport.
Containers for passengers to throw their bottles into before checking in have been increased from six to eight, making it even more convenient for travellers to participate in the project. The initiative has also led to a positive impact on the airport community, with main initiator Johannes Scharnberg (Airport Hamburg) expressing his pleasure with the project's success and positive effects.
The project started with heated arguments between Hinz&Kunzt and Hamburg Airport, but it has since grown into a successful partnership. Uwe, one of the deposit managers, is grateful for the job and appreciates the financial independence it provides. His colleague, Georgi, a Hinz&Kunzt deposit manager, has seen significant improvements in his financial situation. He is now insured and living in an apartment with his family, a far cry from the two church cottages with eight people on 36 square meters where he previously resided.
The project's team has shown remarkable reliability, with no shifts missed in the past year, despite working on holidays and usually alone. Klaus, another deposit manager, can often be seen pushing a collection container through the terminal. However, Klaus is a bit sad about no longer selling the street magazine, but finds his real job and recycling work important.
An online petition was used to protest against complaints filed by Hamburg Airport against bottle collectors, demonstrating the project's widespread support. As the project looks towards the future, it plans to add a half-time position and secure jobs for another year for its dedicated team. Despite the challenges faced initially, the "Deposit your Bottle" project is making a significant difference in promoting sustainability and social responsibility at Hamburg Airport.
- To further enhance the airport's eco-friendly initiatives, the project is planning to add a half-time position, securing jobs for another year for their dedicated team.
- Beyond recycling, some deposit managers, like Georgi, have experienced significant improvements in their financial situations, now living in an apartment with their family.
- A testament to the project's success, Klaus, another deposit manager, pushes a collection container through the terminal daily, even giving up his street magazine sales for this important work.
- The project's online petition demonstrated its widespread support, thwarting complaints filed by Hamburg Airport against bottle collectors.
- Expanding beyond waste management, the Hinz&Kunzt team, including deposit managers, also contributes to the Rotary project "Lids against Polio" by collecting water bottle lids voluntarily.
