Frequently asked questions about waste policy

The new collection frequency is not a cost-saving measure.

Sorting tests show that many food scraps, fruits, and vegetable and garden waste, waste paper, textiles, glass, small chemical waste, and electrical appliances are incorrectly disposed of in the 'sortibak' (grey container). These raw materials cannot be separated afterwards for reuse because this is technically not possible, or because, for example, paper and textiles become contaminated. Raw materials that end up in the 'sortibak' then end up with the residual waste and are incinerated.

In September 2019, the council adopted the raw materials policy plan. The plan aims to follow the national environmental objectives of VANG (From Waste to Raw Material). This means that the goal is to reduce the amount of residual household waste from the current 131 kg to 30 kg per resident per year by 2025 and to separate 90% of the waste. The municipal council has chosen to work on better waste separation by means of this 'volume incentive'. You can find all the information in the raw materials policy plan. You can also find more information in the waste disposal charge. 

There are several tips you can follow to improve your waste separation. These tips will help you create more space.

The plastics, metals and beverage cartons (PMD's) are separated from the waste by Omrin. You can find more about this on the Omrin website.
 
In our municipality, plastics, metals and beverage cartons are separated afterwards because it has been found that it is difficult for residents to separate plastic in such a way that it is reusable. Too much other waste gets mixed in with the plastic, which means that entire loads are rejected and have to be incinerated. The quality requirements for recycled plastic are strict and the sorting machine ensures the required good separation.  

This means that your 'sortibak' (container for recyclable waste) may fill up faster now that the frequency has changed, requiring you to handle waste differently. It is a conscious choice to encourage people to separate waste that does not belong in the 'sortibak', so that only the correct waste remains. For tips, see 'Prevent waste and also go for a lean 'sortibak''.

Waste paper and cardboard are collected by various associations or, in some villages, by the municipality. Do you have any questions about the collection of waste paper and cardboard? Please contact the contact persons of the associations listed on the page waste paper and cardboard.

More information about separating paper can be found in the flyer "Old paper here".

If your household consists of 6 or more people, or your household consists of 5 people with one or more children in diapers, you can request an extra 'sortibak' at a reduced rate. For more information, please visit the page requesting a waste container or is it broken?.

You can also hand in bags of household waste free of charge at the recycling center that do not fit in the sorting container.

No, do not place bags of waste NEXT TO or ON the recycling container, but IN the recycling container. Loose bags cause litter and vermin. If you have an extra bag of residual waste, you can take it to the recycling center free of charge. You can also hand in bags of household waste that do not fit in the recycling container free of charge at the recycling center.

If you still don't have enough space after applying some of the tips, you can also drop off bags of household waste that don't fit in the sorting container for free at the recycling center. In some cases, you may be eligible for an extra container. Go to the 'Request or report a broken waste container' page to read the conditions. 

To be of even greater service to you, a waste coach is available. Our waste coach provides you with customized information, tips, and advice on how to separate your waste more easily and efficiently, but also how you can ensure that you reduce the amount of waste yourself.

Are you struggling to manage your recycling container, despite trying the tips? Our Waste Coach can work with you to find ways to create more space in your container. The Waste Coach can help and advise you on waste separation. Fill in the form at the bottom of this page to get in touch with one of our waste coaches.

It is very annoying when others put waste in your Sorti or organic waste container. You can first address the person yourself if you know who is dumping waste in your container. If you do not know who is doing this, you can only offer your container when it is full, or offer the container as late as possible on the collection day. 

Waste that is not separated is almost entirely incinerated. This is bad for the environment and does not yield any reusable raw materials. In 2019, an average of 131kg of residual waste was generated per resident in Tytsjerksteradiel. Currently, a portion of our household waste still goes to the incinerator. Our household waste still contains many reusable raw materials such as plastic packaging, cans (metal packaging), beverage cartons, food waste, textiles, glass and paper. 

Not separating waste properly leads to contaminated waste streams. The quality of the waste is then not good enough for reuse. When waste is separated properly, it can be used optimally as a new raw material, and less waste needs to be incinerated.

By properly separating waste, you contribute to a better environment!  

Do you have questions about the waste collection levy? We have also listed frequently asked questions and answers for you.

For each household, it is custom work to see what they can do themselves to manage the space in your sorting container. The examples on our website and tips we give are therefore not exhaustive. These are intended to give you an idea of what (more) is possible.

In our communication, we also pay attention to waste prevention. The basis for this is that everything you buy is or will become waste in the long run.

By properly separating all your waste and making conscious purchases, you can prevent waste that would unnecessarily have to be incinerated. This is the goal of the Raw Materials Policy Plan: optimal waste separation and waste reduction.