• Intro text: During the Week of Waste Heroes, many children enthusiastically took part in our competition. They surprised our Waste Heroes with beautiful crafts and drawings. See who won.

The Week of Waste Heroes was all about appreciation and pride. For the men and women who work, often invisibly, every day to keep the environment clean and tidy. In the early morning, on public holidays and in rain and wind - our Waste Heroes always keep going.

That our Waste Heroes deserve appreciation is evident from the many lovely comments, crafts and drawings they received. From all the crafts, the Waste Heroes chose four winners:

• Esther (aged 9) from Hardinxveld-Giessendam

• Sophie (aged 4.5 years) from Vianen

• Roos (aged 7) from Nieuw-Lekkerland

• Chanel (aged 12) from Gorinchem

Congratulations on your prizes! The winners will soon receive not only a nice prize themselves, but also a delicious cream cake for their class. We will contact them personally for the handover.

On behalf of all the Waste Heroes: thank you to all the children who took part in our prize draw. It is great to see how much appreciation there is for the work our Waste Heroes do every day. Together, we ensure a clean and tidy environment.

• Intro text: From 10 March to 2 April 2025, primary school pupils from Gorinchem, Hardinxveld-Giessendam, Molenlanden and Vijfheerenlanden will compete to collect as much electronic waste as possible. Help the pupils by offering broken or unused appliances.

From 10 March to 2 April 2025, it is time again for the E-waste Race. Primary school pupils from Gorinchem, Hardinxveld-Giessendam, Molenlanden and Vijfheerenlanden will compete to give new life to as much electronic waste as possible. With this special project, pupils discover the importance of repairing, reusing and recycling and what they themselves can do for a cleaner sustainable future. You can help by offering broken or unused appliances. This way, you support the pupils in their fight against electronic waste and help them earn points for a nice prize.

Together against electronic waste

Every year, around 370 million kilos of electronic waste are generated in the Netherlands, which is about 21 kilos per person. Unfortunately, much of this waste ends up unused in cupboards, attics or is even thrown away with the residual waste. This is a missed opportunity, as they contain valuable raw materials that we can reuse. This is why Waardlanden organises the E-waste Race: an exciting competition for pupils from 10 primary schools in the region to save as much e-waste as possible from the dustbin. The aim is to give broken or unused electronic devices a new life. This can be done by passing them on, having them repaired or recycling them.

Learning and doing

The race starts with an inspiring guest lesson in which experts talk about repair, reuse recycling and why it is important to be resource-efficient. After this lesson, pupils will get to work for four weeks: passing on appliances, taking them to repair cafes, collecting e-waste for recycling and helping their school get as many points as possible.

Who will win the race?

The school with the most points will win a fun and educational school trip to the Nemo Science Museum in Amsterdam. The school finishing in second place will also receive a prize: a Correctbook, a handy, erasable and reusable notebook. This year, the following schools are participating:

In Municipality of Gorinchem CBS Het Kleurenlint and CBS Samen Onderweg. In the municipality of Hardinxveld-Giessendam Ikc Merwede and CBS De Regenboog. In Molenlanden CBS De Wegwijzer (Hoogblokland), CBS Rehoboth (Groot-Ammers) and SmdB De Wegwijzer (Nieuw-Lekkerland). In Vijfheerenlanden CBS De Rank (Meerkerk), CBS Het Kompas (Lexmond) and Eben-Haëzer School (Leerbroek)

Last year, participating schools together collected 17,424 appliances. Will students manage to pass on, repair and collect even more appliances for recycling this year?

Also help

Do you still have a broken kettle, an old cable, a keyboard or any other device at home that you no longer use? Join the E-waste Race and give your broken and unused appliances a second life. From 10 March, you can register appliances at www.ewasterace.nl. Anything with a cord or battery counts. Students will come by - depending on their availability - to collect the items from you free of charge. Rather hand in appliances yourself? Take appliances to the recycling centre free of charge using the environmental card or hand in small appliances and cables at one of over 3,000 shops, such as supermarkets and DIY stores. Large electronics shops are obliged to accept small appliances up to 25 centimetres, even if you are not buying anything new. Check wecycle.nl for all return points.
Please note that ink cartridges, loose batteries and loose batteries do not fall under e-waste and cannot be handed in for the race.

Get involved too and help reduce electronic waste. Give away devices you don't use, have old items repaired, or hand them in for recycling. Together, we give devices a second life and save valuable raw materials. This way, we work towards a waste-free and clean region and a sustainable future.

• Intro text: Many discarded items can still be put to good use. At charity shop Opnieuw & Co, discarded items are given a second chance. We took a look behind the scenes and discovered how these Waste Heroes contribute to a more sustainable world. Watch the video.

Many discarded items can still be put to good use. Yet they sometimes end up in the rubbish bin unnecessarily. That is a pity because many items can still be used by someone else. Together with our partners, we are working towards a world where valuable materials are not lost but are reused. A good example of this is thrift shop Opnieuw & Co in Leerdam. We dropped by and got a look behind the scenes.

What happens to items handed in?

Every day all kinds of items arrive at Opnieuw & Co, including furniture, clothes, household appliances, toys, books and more. But before these end up in the shop, everything is checked, cleaned and valued. What cannot be sold immediately is refurbished in the workshop. This way, almost everything gets a second chance and the waste mountain stays smaller.

🎥 Watch the video and find out how Opnieuw & Co contributes to reuse.

Working together for a more sustainable future

Our partners, such as Opnieuw & Co, play an important role in the circular economy. They ensure that things are not just thrown away, but find a place again. They too are Waste Heroes. Through reuse, we save raw materials and reduce waste.

What can you do?

Do you have things at home that you no longer use? Don't throw them away, but take them to a thrift shop or give them away. That way, you will make someone else happy and contribute to a more sustainable world. And are you looking for something unique? Drop into a thrift shop. There you will find special items with a story that deserve a second life.

The environmental street is the final step. Are your discarded items beyond repair or usable? Then bring them to the waste disposal site with your environmental pass.

• Intro text: Every day, our Waste Heroes work hard to keep the region clean, tidy and safe. Often in the background, but always indispensable. One of them is our mechanic Jeremy. Wondering how he makes sure collection containers keep working properly? Watch his video.

Every day, our Waste Heroes work extremely hard to keep the region clean, tidy and safe. Often in the background, but always indispensable. One of them is our mechanic Jeremy. He checks and maintains the collection containers in the region, so that they keep working properly and you can dispose of your waste and raw materials without any problems. Curious what his working day looks like? In this video, he gives an insight into his work.

Monitoring and maintenance

As a mechanic in team Equipment, Jeremy checks and maintains the collection containers in the region, ensuring that breakdowns are avoided as much as possible. Nevertheless, it can happen that a container gets stuck or a sensor malfunctions. In such cases, Jeremy takes immediate action.

"When a resident reports a malfunction via our website or Waardlanden app, we are notified. Often we can solve the problem the same day," Jeremy tells.

This is important because a well-functioning container prevents nuisance and keeps the surroundings tidy. Curious what a day of Jeremy's looks like? In the video below, he gives an insight into his work.

You are a Waste Hero not only during Waste Heroes Week, but throughout the year. That is why we will continue to put employees in the spotlight in the coming period. Because behind every clean street and well-functioning collection container are professionals like Jeremy. Want to know more about their work and commitment? Keep following us and discover their stories.

• Intro text: In wind and rain, at night and on holidays, in times of crisis: the work of the Waste Heroes always goes on. And we should be proud of that! That is why we are participating in the Week of Waste Heroes again this week. Will you join in too? 

The time has come: from 10 to 16 March, it is the Week of Waste Heroes across the Netherlands. The week in which we will welcome everyone working 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.

• Go to the resources on the Waste Heroes Week website

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.

• Intro text: The holidays are over and the Christmas trees have been cleared away again. Every year, fewer and fewer trees are handed in. We were curious to know why. Therefore, in our newsletter, we asked how you decorated your homes and what happened to the trees after the holidays.

The holidays are over and the Christmas trees have been cleared away again. Every year, fewer and fewer trees are handed in. We were curious to know why. That is why we asked in our newsletter how you decorated your house and what happened to the trees after the holidays. Not very many people responded, but the answers still provide nice insights and tips. We are happy to share them.

Christmas tree or not?

The Christmas tree remains the centrepiece of the festive season for many people. Almost half had a real tree last year. Many people also have an artificial Christmas tree (38%). Only 15% did nothing to decorate.

What happened to the real Christmas trees after the holidays?

Most gave the Christmas tree to children or brought it themselves to one of our collection points. A third still had the tree at home or in the garden at the time of the flash poll.
Everyone who handed in the tree felt this went easily. Yet we asked how it could be even better. In response, half said it would be nice if there was longer time to hand in the tree. "I leave my tree until Epiphany, but by then the collection will have been over," she said. The others are fine with it as it is. "That children collect trees and can earn something from it, I think it's a super nice idea!"

And next year?

Real Christmas trees remain popular, but almost half opt for a more sustainable option this coming festive season. These tips from our readers help with that.

• Tree with root ball: put it outside again after the holidays. "This is the fourth year I've used the same tree!"
• Second-hand artificial tree: "We bought our artificial tree on Marktplaats. Cheaper and better for the environment!"

Keeping up?

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• Intro text: Together with the four municipalities, we are working to keep textiles out of residual waste. By 2024, more has already been collected than in 2023, but still almost half is thrown away. That can be done differently!

Together with the four municipalities, we want to prevent textiles from ending up in residual waste. More textiles will be collected in 2024 than in 2023, but still almost half of the discarded textiles will be thrown away instead of reused or recycled. This can be done differently.

Textile collection by municipality

Residents of the four municipalities collected a large amount of textiles together. This not only contributes to recycling, but also saves raw materials and energy. The figures per municipality:

Gorinchem: 132,000 kilos in 2024 (123,000 kilos in 2023)

Hardinxveld-Giessendam: 55,000 kilos in 2024 (51,000 kilos in 2023)

Molenlanden: 188,000 kilos in 2024 (163,000 kilos in 2023)

Vijfheerenlanden: 251,000 kilos in 2024 (235,000 kilos in 2023)

Many collected clothes are still in good condition and are given a second life through second-hand shops. Textiles that are no longer wearable are processed into new products such as cleaning rags and insulation material.

Why don't textiles belong in residual waste?

Although textile collection is increasing, almost half of discarded textiles still end up in the incinerator. Thus, valuable raw materials are lost forever.

The new legislation, Extended Producer Responsibility, states that the Netherlands must collect 50% more textiles over the next five years. This will only be possible if everyone participates. Fortunately, the Netherlands is already a leader in textile collection, but there is still room for improvement.

What is allowed in the textile container?

All textiles are welcome in the collection containers specifically for textiles, including worn or broken clothes and household textiles. Towels, tablecloths, bedding and even soft toys can simply be handed in. Many people hesitate about this, but separating textiles helps to reuse and recycle them better.

Big environmental gain

Thanks to textile collection in the four municipalities, major environmental gains have been made. Together, residents saved more than 6.7 million kilos of CO2 and over 423 million litres of water. This is equivalent to thousands of tankers full of water and a traffic jam of dozens of kilometres. This shows how much water is needed to produce new textiles and why reuse and recycling are so important.

Fighting waste together

Textiles have a big impact on the environment. If we dispose of it incorrectly, valuable raw materials are lost. This is easy to prevent: all textiles can go in the special collection container, whether broken or not. By returning textiles separately, we reduce waste and save raw materials. You can throw it in a textile container in your neighbourhood or hand it in at one of our environmental centres using the environmental pass. Do you still have good textiles? Give it a second life. Donate it, sell it or bring it to the Kringloopplein, the thrift shop or the gift shop.

Together, we make a difference!

• Intro text: Sven is 12 years old and has a special hobby: he makes lamps from old appliances. With his creative projects, he wants to show that you can make something new and beautiful out of old stuff. He also hopes to inspire people to be more environmentally aware and not just throw everything away.

Sven is a 12-year-old boy with a special hobby: he makes lamps from old appliances. Together with his father, who makes lamps from tree trunks, he often works on creative projects. With his lamps, Sven wants to show that you can make something new and beautiful out of old appliances. With his special hobby, he hopes to inspire people to throw things away less quickly and to be more environmentally aware. 

How it began

His passion for making unusual lamps arose when his uncle gave him an old computer screen. 'I wanted to do something with lamps, just like my father, and this seemed like a good start. From that computer screen I made my very first lamp, I liked it so much that I never stopped. For me, it is important to reuse old stuff. I think  it's a shame how much is thrown away. That's why I try to give appliances a second life. It's not only fun to do, but also better for the environment.'

From old appliance to new lamp

The process of making a lamp starts with an idea. Sven checks whether the device is big enough to make a socket in it and whether it can hold a cord. If it can, he fetches  he takes out the parts he does not need at that moment. In fact, he uses those later for other projects. Then he fixes the fitting and cord, adds a switch and plug and tests if everything works. It takes an average of six hours to make a lamp.

Sven says his hobby can sometimes be quite challenging. 'Every device is different, so I often have to be creative,' Sven says. His most difficult project so far? A lamp made from an old cordless drill. 'I made a mistake when I took it apart, which made it much more complicated. But I didn't give up and eventually it worked.' 

Inspiration and dreams for the future

Sven draws inspiration from others. At a market, he met a man who makes lamps from old cameras. 'Super cool! But my biggest source of inspiration remains my father.' He makes beautiful lamps from driftwood and tree trunks. So together they share their ideas and work on beautiful projects.

Reactions to his lamps are always positive. People find them original and fun. They also see how things can get a second life, which inspires them to get creative themselves. That motivates Sven to keep going. He sells his lamps on Facebook and Instagram and sometimes stands at markets. His dream? Reaching more people, being at fairs more often and maybe even advertising his lamps.

Getting started with old stuff yourself? Sven gives tips

1. Use your imagination and look closely at what you have.
2. Don't just throw something away; maybe you can make something new out of it.
3. Have fun in what you do and try to make something beautiful out of it.

Sven hopes his story will inspire people to also do something sustainable and creative. Because together we can make the world a little better!   

• Intro text: In our region, there are many avid Zappers who do everything they can to keep it clean and tidy. And great initiatives are still emerging. Earlier this year, for instance, Paul Glorie and a group of residents of the new residential complex Het Spoel in Gorinchem had a super idea: keep the neighbourhood clean together.

In our region, there are many avid zappers who do everything they can to keep it clean and tidy. And great initiatives are still emerging. Earlier this year, for instance, Paul Glorie and a group of residents of the new residential complex Het Spoel in Gorinchem had a super idea: keeping the neighbourhood clean together. They wanted to create a nice, clean environment where everyone feels comfortable. What started as a small idea soon became an enthusiastic project in which many local residents enjoy participating.

Young and old in action together

With the slogan "A clean Spoel gives a tidy feeling", Paul and his neighbours regularly go out to clean up litter. Armed with litter picks and bags, they collect cans, packaging and other litter to keep the neighbourhood looking tidy. It also brings residents closer together. Children often enjoy helping. Older residents find it fun and a good way to stay active.

A radiant neighbourhood thanks to Paul and his litter buddies

The result is impressive. Around the Het Spoel residential complex and the streets around it, it looks radiant. The residents are proud of that. Paul's initiative shows that you can achieve a lot for your neighbourhood with a small idea. We are very grateful to Paul and his litter mates for their efforts, and hope that this initiative inspires others to join in too. Who knows, we might soon see more local residents, like Paul, making their neighbourhood a bit cleaner.

• Intro text: Wow! More than 5,100 people took part in our survey on waste between 30 December 2024 and 27 January 2025. That is a record and we are very happy about it.

Wow! More than 5,100 residents participated in our survey on waste between 30 December 2024 and 27 January 2025. That is a record, and we are very happy about it.

Valuable insights

All these answers will give us a better picture of what is going well and what could be improved. That way, we can work together on smart solutions to reduce waste and separate it even better.

How to proceed now?

Independent research firm Avalon is now reviewing all responses. We will share the results with you around the summer.
Thank you again for your time and opinion. Together we will ensure a waste-free and clean region.