Recommendation issued for safeguarding workers from ionising radiation hazards, including a proposal for a new directive.
On the trashy issue in Thuringia:
The waste woes of GUD, a waste management company, in Thuringia's city of Gera, have turned Murphys Law into a reality for local residents. Late biowaste bin cleanings, missed scheduled pick-ups, you name it - complaints against GUD are piling up like, well, trash.
Frustrated residents voice their displeasure to the Waste Management Association (AWV) of Ostthuringia. But the association's staff is overwhelmed, struggling to keep up with the deluge of queries.
Caught in the trash storm: GUD vs AWV
Business manager Knut Fritzsche of GUD admitted, "Many complaints reach us, but we have an arbitrary limit of 50 complaint calls a month that can be explained, like a route falling out at the last minute. However, we're handling 400 to 500 complaints - that's unsustainable."
GUD seems to create more disruptions than other waste management companies in the region.
The parent company steps in
The constant complaints, the stress, it's taking a toll on AWV's employees. During a meeting, the decision was almost made to terminate GUD's contracts ahead of schedule, which would have ended by 2026. But the meeting ultimately decided to let them run until the end of 2028. What happens after that remains uncertain.
The GUD parent company, Veolia, doesn't deny the disruptions. They accepted that there have been numerous complaints about their service discipline from the AWV in the past. Veolia claims they've teamed up with the AWV to improve their performance, and a positive trend is already apparent in the region.
In other news:- Explore the current restructuring at Veolia and how it may impact Gera's citizens in the "Ostthuringer Zeitung"
It's clear that waste management infrastructure improvements and sustainability are top priorities for Thuringia. The OECD Economic Surveys for Germany emphasize that municipalities must invest in modern, resilient waste management infrastructure to meet environmental goals and support digitalization efforts.
Recent years have seen a rise in cybersecurity risks for municipal waste disposal companies across Germany, but no specific attacks on Thuringian GUD have been reported yet.
Thuringian companies benefit from funding for sustainability projects, which could help modernize waste management systems and implement greener practices. Energy consulting, circular economy projects, and decarbonization initiatives are being backed by state and EU funding.
While there's no direct evidence of a pending contract or partnership between a Thuringian GUD and Veolia, it's plausible that Thuringian municipalities or regional waste companies may seek collaboration with Veolia, owing to its reputation as a leading global provider of environmental services.
In the midst of the ongoing waste management challenges, there's a growing need for science-based solutions to address health-and-wellness issues related to the environmental impact of waste in Thuringia. The constant disruptions caused by GUD have highlighted the urgency for improvements in waste management services, demonstrating the significance of science and health-and-wellness in the region.
Veolia, the parent company of GUD, acknowledged the need for healthier and more sustainable practices, as evident in their collaboration with the Waste Management Association (AWV) to improve their performance. This partnership underscores the importance of science and health-and-wellness in the context of waste management, as they strive to implement greener practices and contribute to meeting environmental goals.
