The municipality of Gachnang in the Swiss canton of Thurgau has temporarily closed its underground textile collection containers at Haldenstrasse in Islikon after repeated illegal dumping. Mayor Roger Jung confirmed to the media that three illegal dumping incidents occurred at the site over the past four months. The containers were heavily contaminated with waste containing food scraps, emitted a pungent odor, and even bred larvae inside, requiring professional cleaning.

Key points

  • The underground textile collection containers at Haldenstrasse in Islikon, Gachnang, were temporarily closed due to three illegal dumping incidents in four months.
  • According to feedback from Texaid, professional cleaning costs about 700 francs (excluding VAT), while compliant disposal at the KVA costs about 50 francs each time.
  • The municipality still has three textile drop-off points available: Islikonerstrasse, Oberwiesenstrasse in Niederwil, and the RAZ in Frauenfeld.

According to the municipal authorities relaying Texaid's feedback, the professional cleaning this time costs about 700 francs (excluding VAT), while compliant disposal at the KVA costs about 50 francs each time. Mayor Jung pointed out that the labor and organizational costs invested by municipal workers and the administration for sealing off and cleaning the site have not yet been included in the above amount, and these costs will ultimately be borne by the municipality.

Gachnang's waste management regulations stipulate that illegal dumping will be fined and may lead to criminal liability. In the closure notice, the municipality stated that textiles can still be taken to the following collection points: Islikonerstrasse, Oberwiesenstrasse in Niederwil, and the RAZ in Frauenfeld.

This incident is another setback for Gachnang in the field of waste management. The municipality had previously planned to close a waste disposal point but encountered unexpectedly strong resistance. A petition with a large number of signatures has now been formed, and dialogue between the municipality and key stakeholders is also planned. Mayor Roger Jung told the media that the current waste management issue is "very much on people's minds" in the municipality.

For the textile recycling industry, this incident highlights that textile collection points, if not effectively managed, can easily become targets for illegal dumping of general waste. This not only raises cleaning and disposal costs for operators but also directly threatens the normal operation of the textile collection network.

Source: Gachnang schliesst Altkleider-Sammelstelle wegen Abfall · Originally published on 2026-10-03