General waste—that's the exception

Effective January 1, 2027, the collection of general waste in Wassenaar will change. Starting then, general waste will no longer be collected weekly, but once every two weeks. With this change, the municipality aims to limit rising waste disposal costs and encourage residents to sort their waste more effectively. General waste should become the exception.

Why is the collection of general waste changing?

In the coming years, the government will increase the tax on the incineration of residual waste. As a result, waste disposal costs will rise significantly. By reducing the amount of residual waste we put out for collection, less waste will need to be incinerated. This will allow us to minimize these costs as much as possible.

At the same time, residual waste still contains many materials that actually belong elsewhere and can be reused. By sorting waste more effectively, we can recover many valuable raw materials and reduce the amount of waste that needs to be incinerated.

What is general waste?

Residual waste is the waste that remains after you have sorted and disposed of waste streams such as organic waste and food scraps, paper and cardboard, glass, textiles, and other raw materials.

In Wassenaar, PMD (plastic packaging, metal packaging, and beverage cartons) can simply be placed with the general waste. During processing, these items are separated from the general waste and recycled. No incineration tax is required for this.

There is still a lot of valuable material in the general waste

Research shows that a large portion of residual waste consists of materials that can actually be collected separately. Organic waste and food scraps, in particular, account for a large share: approximately 32 percent of the total weight of residual waste.

In addition, paper and cardboard, wood, textiles, glass, and construction debris still regularly end up in the residual waste stream. Together, these waste streams account for about 20 percent of the total weight. This means that a significant portion of residual waste can be prevented by improving waste separation.

People who sort their trash properly end up with much less residual waste.

From Waste to Raw Material

By adjusting its collection frequency, Wassenaar is aligning with the national VANG goal: From Waste to Raw Material. The aim is to reuse as many materials as possible as raw materials for new products.

By sorting more effectively:

  • more raw materials are being recycled;
  • less waste needs to be incinerated;
  • reduce environmental impact and CO₂ emissions;
  • waste costs remain more manageable.

How can you help?

Every resident can help by sorting their waste as much as possible. In particular, organic waste and food scraps, paper, cardboard, glass, and textiles do not belong in the general waste.

Not sure where a product belongs? Check out www.afvalscheidingswijzer.nl.

Want to know more?

In the coming period, the municipality will share practical tips and information about waste separation through the newspaper, social media, and the municipal website.

Would you like to know when general waste is collected on your street? Check the collection days in:

Together, we’ll ensure that non-recyclable waste becomes the exception and that valuable raw materials aren’t lost. This way, we’ll keep waste costs under control and work toward a sustainable future for Wassenaar.