Every day, we throw away all sorts of things as waste. Plastic, food scraps, cardboard, glass, an old table, you name it. For us, it's trash; we don't want to do anything with it anymore. Yet, almost all of this waste could very well be given a second life. It's not waste. Reusing is good for the environment. By reusing, we have less to throw away as waste. This way, we save the raw materials and energy needed to make new products.
Circular economy
By recycling your waste, you're contributing to a clean and waste-free environment for yourself and future generations. That's the ultimate goal of a circular economy: a world with minimal waste where we reuse discarded products. If you buy products that are sustainably packaged or packaging-free, you're also making a significant contribution. We'll be working even harder to reduce waste in the coming years. We need your help!
Less residual waste: good for the environment and your wallet
Together with the municipalities, we encourage and help all residents reduce residual waste and improve waste separation. To this end, the municipalities of Gorinchem, Hardinxveld-Giessendam, Molenlanden, and Vijfheerenlanden, together with Waardlanden, developed a new waste and raw materials plan in 2021. This plan is called the 2021-2025 Strategy Note: Together for a waste-free and clean municipality. This plan outlines how we will reduce the amount of residual waste to a maximum of 100 kilograms per resident by 2025. If we prevent residual waste and reuse more, we will need to extract fewer new materials from the earth. This reduces the amount of residual waste that needs to be incinerated. The central government's incineration tax is also making incinerating residual waste increasingly expensive. Reducing residual waste is therefore important for the environment and your wallet.
Find out more in the strategy paper and in the interim evaluation of the strategic note 2021-2025.
Measures are showing effect
As part of the new policy, various measures have been taken, such as closing underground containers and introducing the environmental pass. The recycling fee was also introduced in the municipalities of Gorinchem, Hardinxveld-Giessendam, and Molenlanden. Residents in these municipalities pay a fee each time they dispose of their residual waste. This is not yet the case in the municipality of Vijfheerenlanden. By 2024, residual waste had decreased to an average of 133 kilos per resident. This represents a 40% decrease compared to the average of 232 kilos of residual waste per resident in 2020, before the implementation of the strategy paper. The separation of raw materials also increased throughout the region, with an average of 9 kilos more vegetable, fruit, garden, and food waste (organic waste), 6 kilos more plastic packaging, metal packaging, and beverage cartons (PMD), and 1,5 kilos more textiles per resident.
Most waste is raw material
About 75 percent of our waste is raw material, such as organic waste, diapers, and plastic, metal, and beverages (PMD). If we separate these properly, we can reuse them. For example, we can turn organic waste into compost. We can make new packaging and products from PMD. And an old table gets a new life if we take it to the recycling center.
> Find out more about separating waste and raw materials
Tips and advice about waste separation?
Preventing residual waste and separating it properly can be quite a challenge. That's why our environmental coach Nelleke is happy to help you with tips and advice.
Questions?
We understand you may have concerns and questions about our policy and strategy. That's why you'll find answers to frequently asked questions on our website.
> Find the answer to frequently asked questions