Many residents have questions about waste and resources policy, waste separation and waste charges. This is understandable. That is why you will find answers to frequently asked questions on waste separation here.
Do you have another question? Ask us your question. We will do our best to answer your question to the best of our ability. And you help complete this list of frequently asked questions right away.
Yes, definitely! Our waste contains important raw materials. All raw materials that we collect separately are processed separately for recycling. This applies to organic waste, waste paper, glass, textiles, plastic packaging, metal packaging and drinks cartons, batteries and various bulky household waste streams that you bring to the waste disposal site.
Recycling is good for the environment as well as for the wallet. The municipality receives compensation for recyclable streams from waste processors. The municipality incorporates all revenues and charges into the waste disposal fee. By better separating reusable materials, it can be kept as low as possible.
No! Only the waste from the residual waste container is burned in waste incinerators. The other raw materials such as VGF, waste paper, glass, textiles, plastic packaging, metal packaging and drinks cartons, batteries and various bulky household waste streams that you bring to the waste disposal site are processed and recycled.
Occasionally, there is too much contamination in the raw materials collected. Then the processor or recycler does not accept a shipment. In that case, unfortunately, the raw materials have to be incinerated.
Italy does not have enough capacity to process residual waste. In 2022, there was a major fire at Rome's largest waste treatment plant. The new plant is not expected to be finished until 2026 at the earliest. Until then, the residual waste has to go somewhere. The Netherlands has a large capacity to burn waste. This is because in the Netherlands, 60 per cent of waste is already collected separately and recycled. This leaves less residual waste to be incinerated.
If Italy cannot incinerate the residual waste, it has to be landfilled. This is the most harmful to the environment. At a landfill, formation of methane takes place. Methane is a greenhouse gas 28 times stronger than CO2.
So separating and recycling waste and raw materials properly is very important. If we avoid residual waste and reuse and recycle more, we need to take fewer materials from the earth. Because everything we burn is gone for good and cannot be reused. If residual waste remains after proper separation, it has to be incinerated. These costs will increase in the coming years. Because, for instance, residual waste processing fees and central government taxes continue to rise. Less residual waste is therefore important for the environment and your wallet.
Residents can help reduce waste by paying attention to how products are packed (or not packed) as early as at the shop and try to prevent waste at home and separate raw materials even better. This can be done by using tips and advice we share via the "Nice and tidy" campaign page on our website. It is also important to put waste in the right collection containers and not to place it next to them.
By delivering plastic packaging, metal packaging and drink cartons (pmd) separately, you help to recycle raw materials. Pmd that we collect in our municipalities goes to HVC. There it is sorted and processed into granulate, which serves as a basis for new plastic. For this purpose, HVC has its own plastic sorting plant, Sortiva, which processes special household plastic.
From 2027, it will be mandatory to use more recycled plastic. We are confident that HVC will find enough outlets for the granulate and will continue to monitor this closely. We will continue to motivate residents to separate properly as well as take a critical look at the processing of these raw materials.
Want to know more? Then check out HVC's website. There they explain themselves how they process plastic: HVC Frequently asked questions
The "Lekker Opgeruimd" campaign focuses on reducing waste and separating waste and raw materials even better at home, so that ultimately less residual waste remains. On our website, you will find the special Nice and tidy campaign page. There are useful tips, blogs and videos on how to separate your waste properly. There is a fun quiz to determine which type of waste separator someone is. You can also receive, tailored tips. This campaign is regularly highlighted in door-to-door newspapers and on social media. Our environmental coaches also actively engage with residents to answer questions about waste separation and explain decisions taken.
Container stickers are on the collection containers for residual waste. By scanning the QR code on the container sticker, you can access comprehensive information, such as what to do in case of a full container or malfunction, a broken environmental pass, bulky waste appointments and more, so that together we can keep the neighbourhood tidy, clean and safe, litter-free.We use simple language, visual support and our website is available in multiple languages, including English, Ukrainian, Polish, Romanian and Turkish.
By source separation, we mean that you as a resident separate your waste yourself at home. This way, many more types of waste are separated than post-separation with a machine. The waste you separate at home can be very well recycled.
In post-separation, a machine at a plant separates residual waste. This preserves valuable materials that we would otherwise have to incinerate. The machine can by no means separate all types of waste. Mainly plastic packaging, cans and drink cartons can be separated from residual waste in post-separation. Other valuable waste streams are lost.
Subsequent separation by machine is always complementary to source separation. In low-rise dwellings source separation yield the best quality raw materials. It is also the cheapest way to separate waste. In flats, flats and upstairs houses, it is less easy to separate waste at home. There, post-separation with a machine is a better choice to still be able to recycle valuable raw materials such as plastic packaging, cans and drink cartons.
Home separation with raw material containers is very successful in low-rise buildings in our region. It produces the best quality raw materials. It is also the most inexpensive way to separate waste.
For high-rise and low-rise houses without space for containers, collection in collection containers for pmd was much lower. This is also a national picture.
Because we post-separate pmd from residual waste at high-rise and low-rise houses without space for raw materials containers, we need to incinerate less residual waste expensively and can therefore recycle more. Therefore, for high-rise and low-rise houses without space for containers, pmd post-separation is the best choice.
A machine can extract raw materials from residual waste afterwards. But this only applies to plastic packaging, cans and drink cartons. Separating organic waste, paper, cardboard, packaging glass and textiles afterwards is not technically possible (yet).
This is partly true. Many people know well what goes with the pmd but not everyone does. And separating plastic in particular is quite difficult, because what goes where?
> Find out what does and does not belong to the pmd
In doubt or have a question about waste separation? Put your question to our environmental coaches. They are happy to help.
In doubt about whether to separate a product or material? Find out more about what waste is allowed where.
To avoid unpleasant odours, you can you keep dirty nappies in sealed bags. Special bags that absorb odour can also be bought in supermarkets and drugstores.
The aim of the policy is to reduce the amount of residual waste. Of course, these bags don't fit into that. Therefore, look into the possibility of washable nappies. These have improved significantly in recent years.
You can also separate used disposable nappies into special baby nappy bags. These can be you collect at the environmental centres and in a number of other places. With the environmental pass, you can hand in the full bags for free at one of our environmental centres.
Dog and cat faeces belong in the residual waste. So it does not belong in the GFT container or on the compost heap. Because there is then a risk of animal diseases being transmitted with the compost.
You can dispose of your dog waste bags:
