The Zurich city government has issued a safety warning about people climbing into used clothing donation bins to retrieve items. In October 2026, near a Tell Tex used clothing donation bin on Stauffacherstrasse in Zurich's District 4, a young man climbed into the bin and took clothing; the city's Disposal and Recycling Department (ERZ) stated that climbing into bins can lead to arms being pinched, head injuries, or falls when climbing out, and mentioned past cases including a 36-year-old woman who died in a textile donation bin in Lausanne in 2022 and a man who suffocated inside a bin in Geneva in 2015.

Key Points

  • The incident occurred in October 2026 at a Tell Tex used clothing donation bin on Stauffacherstrasse in Zurich's District 4; a man climbed into the bin, took clothing, and rode away on a bicycle.
  • Zurich's ERZ pointed out that climbing into donation bins can cause arm pinching, head injuries, and falls; the city said it does not track the number of such clothing-retrieval incidents.
  • Fatal accidents have occurred previously in Switzerland: in February 2022, a 36-year-old woman was found dead in a textile donation bin in Lausanne; in 2015, a man suffocated to death inside a used clothing donation bin in Geneva.

Resident Witness: Retrieving Clothing Is Not an Isolated Phenomenon

According to the Swiss media outlet 20min.ch, a 38-year-old resident of Zurich's District 4 witnessed a young man climbing onto a used clothing donation bin on Stauffacherstrasse during the day on Monday, filling an entire black garbage bag with clothing before riding away on a bicycle. She recalled that the man was wearing white and was hard to distinguish in front of the white bin. The resident said she frequently sees similar scenes in the area and questioned whether existing support organizations are sufficient, asking why people still resort to such dangerous methods.

Another Zurich resident also described what she saw after a flea market at the Wollishofen community center last weekend: a woman rummaging through a donation bin for clothing that vendors had previously discarded. She said it is distressing to see others forced into such situations due to hardship.

Company and Official Responses

Sascha Sardella, operations manager at Tell Tex AG, directed the issue to the Zurich city Disposal and Recycling Department (ERZ), which is responsible for managing the bins. ERZ media spokesperson Maria Colon said that taking clothing from textile donation bins occurs occasionally, and the city of Zurich does not track the number of such reports. She also emphasized that donation bins are not facilities meant for people to climb into.

City Recommends Using Proper Channels

In response to the clothing needs of people facing financial hardship, the Zurich city authorities said there are already sufficient safe alternatives in the area, including clothing supplies from multiple social organizations and relief agencies, such as Caritas second-hand shops, Heilsarmee's Brocki, the Zurich Reception Organization (AOZ)'s Brockito, as well as clothing donations from churches and Winterhilfe Schweiz.

Past Accident Records

The report also reviewed related accidents in recent years: in 2023, someone nearly fell into a used clothing donation bin operated by the same company while trying to retrieve items; in February 2022, Lausanne police found the body of a 36-year-old woman in a textile donation bin; in 2015, a man suffocated to death inside a used clothing donation bin in Geneva.

Source: Tödliche Falle Altkleider-Container: Stadt Zürich warnt vor riskanten Kletteraktionen · Originally published on 2026-10-07