One of the current initiatives involves Schusterstraße, Betzelstraße, and Stadthausstraße near the Kaufhof. Following the successful floor cleanings on Lotharstraße, it became apparent that removing heavy contamination—such as chewing gum—can be more or less labor-intensive depending on the type of flooring.

Mayor Nino Haase: “We are deliberately in a test phase in which we are working with the city’s sanitation department and the environmental affairs department to determine, under real-world conditions, which cleaning methods are appropriate and effective in which locations. The different types of pavement and varying levels of use in the city center require tailored solutions—and that is precisely why we are now establishing the necessary data foundation.”

The cost of cleaning in the Schusterstraße area amounts to approximately 15,000 euros. During the pilot phase, data on the effort required, the impact, and the sustainability of the measures will be collected so that future cleaning standards and the necessary funding can be determined on this basis. Currently, the measures are being financed on a project-by-project basis from the current budget; establishing a permanent framework makes sense as the process continues.

“We don’t just want to improve the city’s cleanliness in isolated cases; we want to structurally reorganize it and make it permanently efficient, coordinated, and transparent. Despite all the hard work of our employees, one thing remains crucial: the most effective approach is for all of us to pitch in—which will save a great deal of effort and costs. All trash belongs in the trash cans and not on the ground,” Haase emphasizes.