Many residents have questions about waste and raw materials policies, waste separation, and waste disposal fees. This is understandable. Therefore, you'll find answers to frequently asked questions about containers here.
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In June 2021, the municipal councils of Gorinchem, Hardinxveld-Giessendam, Molenlanden, and Vijfheerenlanden adopted the new waste and raw materials policy. This policy stipulates, among other things, that residents of high-rise buildings and residents of low-rise buildings without space for a PMD container at home must put their PMD and residual waste together in the residual waste container. Therefore, all PMD containers have been removed.
High-rise buildings include apartments, flats, and upstairs apartments. Low-rise buildings without municipal solid waste containers are found, for example, in the city center of Gorinchem and within the Nieuwpoort fortifications.
This decision was made following a waste analysis of the collection containers in 2021. This analysis revealed that there are still (far) too many raw materials such as plastic packaging, metal packaging, and beverage cartons (PMD) in the residual waste from high-rise and low-rise buildings without space for containers. The waste analysis also revealed that the PMD collection containers still contain a lot of inappropriate waste. In both cases, this means that an unnecessary amount of raw materials has to be incinerated. We want to prevent this.
That's why we now collect PMD and residual waste together from high-rise and low-rise buildings without a PMD container at home. We collect this waste separately and have it post-separated at the waste processor using a machine. This machine separates the PMD from the residual waste. This way, the PMD can still be recycled. Only the remaining residual waste is incinerated.
All containers for household residual waste in the municipalities of Gorinchem, Hardinxveld-Giessendam, Molenlanden and Vijfheerenlanden have a chip.
The chip has a unique number linked to your address. Special equipment in our vehicles reads the chip every time it's emptied. Without the chip, we can't empty your container. This helps us combat illegal containers, manage our inventory more effectively, and provide you with even better service. Furthermore, this registration allows us to improve routes and help residents separate their waste more effectively.
This registration is also required because the municipalities of Gorinchem, Hardinxveld-Giessendam, and Molenlanden have been calculating waste disposal charges using a new method since January 1, 2024. This new method allows you to influence part of the waste disposal charge. One part is fixed, and the other is variable. This variable part is called the recycling rate. You pay the recycling rate each time you have your residual waste container emptied. If you separate raw materials properly and have little residual waste, the costs are lower than if you have a lot of residual waste. The municipality takes into account people with a lot of medical waste, litter pickers, and people with insufficient income.
Residents of the municipality of Vijfheerenlanden will not yet have any say in part of the waste disposal tax. The municipality will decide on the implementation of the recycling rate later.
> Find out more about the waste disposal tax and the recycling rate
Yes, since January 1, 2024, the municipalities of Gorinchem, Hardinxveld-Giessendam, and Molenlanden have been calculating waste disposal charges using a new method. You can influence part of the waste disposal charge. This component varies and is called the recycling rate. You pay the recycling rate each time you have your residual waste container emptied. If you separate raw materials properly and have little residual waste, the costs are lower than if you have a lot of residual waste. The municipalities want to encourage residents to reduce their residual waste and separate it more effectively. Because separating less residual waste and raw materials is better for the environment and your wallet.
Residents of the municipality of Vijfheerenlanden will not have any say in the amount of part of the waste disposal tax. This municipality will decide on the implementation of the recycling rate later.
> Find out more about the waste disposal tax and the recycling rate
If you live in the municipalities of Gorinchem, Hardinxveld-Giessendam, or Molenlanden, you will pay the recycling fee each time you have your residual waste container emptied, starting January 1, 2024. This means you don't pay for the weight of your residual waste.
It's best to only put your container out on the curb when it's completely full. This way, others can't add any more waste.
If someone does throw trash in your container, please speak to them about it. Throwing trash in someone else's container without permission is not allowed unless you have made agreements about it together.
The municipality of Vijfheerenlanden will make a decision later on the introduction of the recycling rate.
Unfortunately, it's impossible to prevent someone from stealing your residual waste container. We immediately block residual waste containers that are reported missing. The blocked container will no longer be emptied and will remain full on the street. If your container is lost or stolen, please report it immediately.
No, you can only get a 240 liter container.
We're sorry to hear your residual waste container is broken. You can report this in the Waardlanden app or on our website. We'll help you.
We advise you to contact your container cleaner and request new stickers.
No, if you live in a rural area, you will need a container with a chip for your residual waste.
Because you live in a rural area, your environmental pass is not activated for access to the residual waste collection containers in the surrounding areas. However, it does give you access to all our recycling centers.
Absolutely! You can request one additional 240-liter container from us for PMD, organic waste, and paper. Two containers per waste type are permitted per residential address.
Do you live in a rural area and have a chipped residual waste container at your home? Then you don't use the collection containers for residual waste in your neighborhood. Therefore, you can also request a second chipped residual waste container.
Did you accidentally throw valuable personal belongings in a collection container? Call our customer contact center as soon as possible: 0183 68 11 11. Please include the number and location of the collection container when reporting the incident.
If the container hasn't been emptied yet, we can schedule an appointment to have it emptied in your presence. This allows you to search for your belongings yourself. Appointments are available on weekdays between 8:30 AM and 5:00 PM. Outside of these hours, this is not possible. The cost for emergency emptying is €150,00. You must pay the fee in advance by debit card.
We cannot guarantee that you will find your belongings. In that case, the costs for emergency emptying will not be reimbursed.
Yes, that's possible. The recycling centers also have a collection container for residual waste with a pass reader. All residents of Gorinchem, Hardinxveld-Giessendam, Molenlanden, and Vijfheerenlanden can use their waste pass to dispose of a bag of residual waste at any of our recycling centers. You pay the same recycling rate as if you were disposing of a bag of residual waste in your neighborhood's collection container. Do you live in a rural area? Then you pay the recycling rate for low-rise buildings applicable in your municipality. This recycling rate will be included at the end of the year with the fixed portion of the waste collection tax for 2025.
Residents of the municipality of Vijfheerenlanden will not yet have any say in the waste collection tax. This municipality will decide on the implementation of rates later.
Residents of the former municipality of Lingewaal cannot dispose of residual waste at recycling centers with an AVRI pass.
We're working with the municipalities to find a solution for residents who can no longer dispose of their residual waste themselves. This solution isn't available yet. In the meantime, we recommend discussing the disposal of your garbage bag with your home care provider or informal caregiver.
Yes, even if you live in an apartment, flat, or upstairs apartment, you can separate your vegetable, fruit, and garden waste, as well as food scraps (organic waste). This is a clear wish of many high-rise residents, as revealed by the extensive resident survey in 2020. That's why there are organic waste containers near apartments and flats. You can open these containers with your environmental pass. So you don't have to pay separately to dispose of your organic waste.
Tip: Use a green waste bin in the kitchen. It's an easy way to collect your fruit and vegetable waste and food scraps. Supermarkets sell special compostable green waste bags with the Seedling logo or OK Compost logo for the bin. You can dispose of the full bags for free in the green waste collection container with your environmental pass.
Yes, wheelchair users can also use the organic waste collection containers. The supplier has designed the container so that the lid opens towards you, so you don't have to reach forward. Once you open the lid, it stays open. The wide opening with a low-rise edge allows wheelchair users to dispose of organic waste with both hands.
It's recommended to ride alongside the vehicle so that your arms are closer to the tailgate, not with your feet facing the tailgate. See the image. As a wheelchair user, you should reach approximately head height to dispose of organic waste in the tailgate. The image is for illustrative purposes only. Not everyone is the same size, and every wheelchair can be different.