Because "the framework conditions have changed", the city of Mainz does not want to set up its own rubble dump in the former Laubenheim quarry.

The plans dating back to 2010, which had been vehemently opposed by the citizens' initiative "Mainz 21/No to the landfill site in Mainz", envisaged creating an area for depositing mineral waste of landfill classes I and II on the area that was to be backfilled anyway to hold up.

According to the city council decision, however, the planned site should expressly not be allowed to be used for more dangerous substances such as asbestos and slag from waste incineration.

Markus Schug

Correspondent Rhein-Main-Süd.

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The surprising announcement by the environmental department head Janina Steinkrüger (Die Grünen), who announced the end of the controversial project shortly before Easter, was rated as good and correct in the initial reactions of representatives of almost all council parties.

Finally, the new full-time deputy was able to name three reasons for the role backwards.

Predecessor Eder was against disposal tourism

Her predecessor and party friend Katrin Eder had always defended the plan to dump the construction waste that accumulates in Mainz in the city itself, against strong resistance from local residents.

Not least because Eder did not want waste disposal tourism with possibly long transport journeys.

In the meantime, however, the expansion of the Dyckerhoff landfill in neighboring Wiesbaden has been decided and approved, says Steinkrüger.

Which means that "new regional capacities" are available.

The waste disposal company, which was informed until 2015 that there was no space on the other side of the Rhine for non-combustible and non-recyclable construction waste from Mainz, has already started negotiations on inter-municipal cooperation with Wiesbaden, the city said.

In addition, Mainz will probably have to say goodbye to the idea of ​​being able to accommodate larger quantities of the Mombacher Hochstraße, which is already about to be demolished, in the old Laubenheim quarry.

Because experts are currently assuming that the building, which can no longer be saved and which resembles the Ludwigshafener Hochstrasse, is probably so heavily contaminated with asbestos that the demolition material should not have been brought to the planned Mainz landfill anyway.

The almost 1.4 kilometer long prestressed concrete construction, which was closed to traffic a good year ago, was created in 1969 as the first section of a city ring road that was ultimately never completed.

Stability is in question

In addition, thirdly, the stability of the Laubenheim slope intended for storage has been called into question in hydrological reports.

Even if there were "technical solutions" for such cases, the project would probably be significantly delayed, so that the landfill project could ultimately become a financial risk.

This is precisely why the Head of Department wants the project to be abandoned this summer and the former quarry then to be backfilled and recultivated.

Which could well take ten to 15 years.

The CDU has already reactivated its old bathing lake proposal.

The SPD and the Greens first want to ask the people of Mainz.

And the citizens' initiative remains skeptical for the time being, despite all the joy about the cancellation.