While You're Relaxing on Sundays, Cars Stay Grimy in Rhineland-Palatinate
Dirty car remains untouched on Sunday. - Every Sunday, the vehicle remains uncleaned.
No need to rush and wash your car on a free Sunday in Rhineland-Palatinate - it's a no-go. But neighbors in Hesse have been scrubbing, shining, and rinsing away since it's already allowed there. Critics are calling for a change, claiming it's a relic from the past.
The filling station interest group sees a ban on Sunday car washes as a relic of times long gone. After all, their stations operate on Sundays, and many car washes run without staff present. And in other European countries, it's business as usual.
Small and medium-sized filling station operators in Rhineland-Palatinate, Baden-Württemberg, the Saarland, and other federal states may lose between 5,000 to 10,000 euros each year due to the ban, the association warns.
Moreover, there's an environmental aspect to consider: Car washes are more water-saving and ecological compared to at-home washes, which can burden local sewers or harm the environment directly.
No talks with the Minister-President on the horizon
The association has penned a letter to Rhineland-Palatinate's Minister-President, Alexander Schweitzer (SPD), but to no avail. He has yet to respond or invite them for a discussion.
Legislation governs not only when but also where car washing is allowed: It's forbidden on gardens or unpaved surfaces, with fines a possibility, as per the Water Resources Act.
Chemicals in the wash-water under scrutiny
Even if clear water alone is used, wash-water contains chemical substances and compounds that can harm groundwater, according to the German Federal Environmental Agency (BUND) in Rhineland-Palatinate.
If the surface is paved or washed at the roadside, municipalities decide what's permissible. Therefore, citizens should inquire about local regulations with the responsible authorities, the BUND recommends.
BUND advocates for car washes
The environmental association advises using approved self-service car washes and car washes for car washing. There, pollutants are pre-cleaned, separated, and properly discharged.
Short programs are preferred, the BUND suggests, as a car wash is more water-efficient compared to washing at home, using recycled water and significantly reducing overall water consumption.
The Rhineland-Palatinate Ministry of the Interior recently clarified that operating car washes and car wash places on Sundays and public holidays is prohibited, based on the state law for the protection of Sundays and public holidays.
Sunday: A day for family and relaxation
Sunday car washing has a clear commercial edge, detaching it from the religious significance of Sundays. It's also a day for relaxation, friendship, family, and voluntary engagement, as seen by the German Trade Union Confederation's chairperson, Susanne Wingertszahn.
State parliamentarian Wefelscheid calls for a change in thinking
"Car washing can be done any other day - except Sunday," Wefelscheid argues. "The same goes for shopping in retail stores." Wefelscheid pushes for the day of rest, arguing that it's about employees having the freedom to use their time independently.
Despite the uproar, the car wash ban on Sundays persists in Rhineland-Palatinate, creating a polarized debate between proponents of Sunday as a day of rest and critics who argue that the ban is rooted in an earlier era.
- The filling station interest group in Rhineland-Palatinate, Baden-Württemberg, the Saarland, and other federal states may lose significant earnings due to the ban on Sunday car washes, according to the association.
- Critics claim that the ban on Sunday car washes is a relic from the past, and they are calling for a change in the community policy.
- Contrary to the ban in Rhineland-Palatinate, car washes are operated on Sundays in other European countries without any issues.
- The environmental aspect is also a consideration in the debate over car washing on Sundays, as car washes are more water-saving and ecological compared to at-home washes.
