From 10 to 16 March, it is the Week of Waste Heroes across the Netherlands. The week in which we will welcome everyone who works in waste collection, greenmanagement, cleaning and processing in the spotlight. Because the men and women who work hard every day to keep our region clean and safe are real Heroes! In wind and rain, at night, on public holidays and in times of crisis: our Waste Heroes always keep going. And that is something we can be proud of!
Our Waste Heroes work hard every day to keep our region clean and tidy. Just imagine if they went off work. That waste and raw materials are no longer collected, environmental centres are left unattended and streets are not cleaned. Then our region would soon look heavily polluted. They themselves are often very modest about their work, but they really are indispensable.
Therefore, during the Week of Waste Heroes, we reflect on their efforts, show extra appreciation and invite residents to do the same. Show your appreciation too and let our Heroes know how important they are!
Meet our Waste Heroes at Meet & Greets
At central locations in the region, you can meet our Waste Heroes and see the work up close. Meet the people who keep our region clean and safe, and find out how much fun the work is. Take a ride on the sweeper truck, take a seat in the cabin of a real collection truck or have your picture taken with a Waste Hero.
Children who bring a beautiful drawing or craft will also have a chance to win a fun prize.
Who is the Meet & Greet for?
For anyone who:
- Want to salute our Waste Heroes
- Want to take a closer look at a Waardlanden truck
- Want to sit in the cab of a real collection truck for a while or ride along on a sweeper truck
- Want to drop off a nice drawing or craft (and have a chance to win a fun prize!)
- Who wants their photo taken with a Waardlanden truck or AfvalHeld
- Wanting to express their appreciation for our Waste Heroes
- Has questions about waste prevention and separation
- Enjoys just stopping by
The Waste Heroes from team Education will be at the Meet & Greet moments this week to answer questions about preventing residual waste and separating raw materials at home even better.
Where and when are the meet & greet moments?
Monday 10 March, 15:00 - 16:30
Hardinxveld-Giessendam - Plein Houweningenweer
Tuesday 11 March, 15:00 - 16:30
Hoef en Haag - The Brink
Wednesday 12 March, 15:00 - 16:30
Gorinchem - Parking place shopping centre Hoog Dalem
Friday 14 March, 15:00 - 16:30
Nieuw-Lekkerland - Raadhuisplein 1
During the Meet & Greets, we take photos and videos. Were images taken of you, but would you like us to stop using them? Then send an e-mail to info@waardlanden.nl to withdraw your consent.
Enter the win campaign for young fans
Our Waste Heroes love it when you wave at them or give them the thumbs up when they come to collect your rubbish or sweep the streets. Want to do something extra? Then enter our prize draw!
What can you do?
Make a nice drawing, craft something fun, write a card or take a photo for our Waste Heroes. Anything goes! Turn it in during a Meet & Greet moment and win a fun prize!
How does it work?
- Write your name, age, address, hometown and phone number on your craft.
- Come to one of the Meet & Greets and give your craft to your Waste Hero.
- Can't make it to the Meet & Greet? Send a photo of your entry to afvalhelden@waardlanden.nl. Always include name, age, address, place of residence and phone number.
Why participate?
From all the works, our Waste Heroes will choose 4 winners. These prize winners not only get a nice prize themselves, they also win a delicious cream cake for the whole class and a special visit by our Waste Heroes to school. During this visit, they will present the prize in front of the whole class.
Game rules
A number of ground rules apply. Discuss them with your parents or guardians before joining the action.
- All children from the municipalities of Gorinchem, Hardinxveld-Giessendam, Molenlanden and Vijfheerenlanden may participate.
- Drop off at one of the Meet & Greets
- Prize winners will be announced by us on this website and on our social media channels
- All prize winners will be notified personally
- All submitted messages, drawings, photos and artworks may be shared by us on our website and social media.
- Photos of prize winners will be taken for our website and social media. By entering the promotion, you agree to this.
Need inspiration?
Our Waste Heroes are happy with everything they get. Not sure what to make? No problem. On the Waste Heroes Week website, you can find useful tips and ideas to put Waste Heroes in the spotlight.
And there's more!
In addition to the 4 Meet & Greets, there is extra attention for all employees:
- We kick off the week together. All employees receive a nice gift as a token of appreciation.
- Later in the week, there will be a social barbecue for all employees.
- We highlight a Waste Hero online this week. More will follow throughout the year, because you are not a Waste Hero for a week, but for the whole year.
- We also take a look behind the scenes at a partner we would like to introduce to you. More such peeks will follow throughout the year.
- The Waardlanden board offered a tasty treat to all AfvalHelden.
- And our board members take a half-day turn with the Waste Heroes and roll up their sleeves.
Help out as a litter picker!
In our region, many residents voluntarily pick up litter lying around. Our Waste Heroes are very grateful to these residents for this. Did you know that if you pick up one piece of litter every day, you will not only help the Waste Heroes, but also the world? Even better: if one in four people in our country pick up a piece of litter every day, after three days there will be almost no litter to pick up.
Want to get involved with this during Waste Heroes Week? Take a rubbish bag(s) with you on a walk. With a pair of gloves and tongs (or a real prod or grabber), your hands will stay clean. Make it a fun outing and go out with family, friends or local residents. Share a photo of the litter you picked up with #garbageheroes.
Find out more about litter picking.
Show your appreciation
You too can express your appreciation. This can be done very simply in your neighbourhood or, for instance, at the waste disposal site: give our people the thumbs up, wait patiently in a side street so the collection truck can pass, or give a compliment. These small gestures make our Waste Heroes smile and bring a circular society one step closer.
Get inspired, use the tips on the website of the Week of Waste Heroes!
We do it together
Everyone working towards a clean, beautiful and safe living environment naturally deserves a thumbs-up. We thank the many litter volunteers in our area. Whether you collect waste paper for your association, regularly pick up litter or help in other ways: you too are Waste Heroes. We also thank our planners, mechanics, customer service staff and all those people behind the scenes who make this wonderful and important work possible! We are proud of each other!
Become a Waste Hero too?
Would you like to contribute to a beautiful, clean living environment in our region together with enthusiastic colleagues? Then consider a job at Waardlanden. We regularly have great vacancies. Keep an eye on the Working at Waardlanden in the eye. Who knows, you might soon be working as a Waste Hero too.