Autumn - the days are getting shorter and we are indoors more often. With falling leaves, more wind and often a big clean-up round in the house or garden. With smart tips and solutions, Waardlanden helps you get through this period.
Cleaning up at home
Autumn is a great time to make the house warm and cosy again. Tidy up and look at what you no longer use. Don't just throw things away, give things a second chance:
Passing on stuff
Bring usable items to the thrift shop, the recycling centre or the environmental centre. You can also dispose of many items at giveaway corners, giveaway shops or collection actions in the neighbourhood. By doing so, you help others and prevent waste.
To the waste disposal site
Do you have items or waste that do not belong or fit in the container? Then you can use your environmental pass to go to the environmental street. You may go to the waste disposal site as often as you like with your environmental pass.
Most always brings you for free
Even after multiple visits, you always bring the next commodity for free:
asbestos, baby nappies, tyres without rims, chemical waste (CDW), electrical appliances, frying oil, gas bottles, glass (fur and white), hard plastic, mattresses, metal (iron), paper and cardboard, polystyrene foam (eps), textiles and flat glass.
When do you pay a tariff?
For bulky garden waste, rubble, wood, gypsum/cellular concrete, bitumen (roofing leather) and bulky household waste applies: the first three times a year are free. After that, residents of Gorinchem, Hardinxveld-Giessendam and Vijfheerenlanden pay a rate. You pay that amount directly by pin at the gate to one of our staff members. Residents of Vijfheerenlanden do not have to pay separately, the municipality will decide on that later.
Find out more about the environmental centres
Tip: borrow a free trailer from Waardlanden to take things to the waste disposal site. This makes cleaning up even easier. You can easily arrange this yourself:
Borrow a trailer from Waardlanden for 2 hours free of charge
Repair
Is something broken? A hole in a coat, a loose chair leg or a broken appliance? With a small repair, you can often still use stuff just fine. Or take it to a workshop or repair café.
Sell or swap
Put clothes, furniture, toys or appliances that are still good for sale online, bring them to a swap market or organise a swap afternoon with neighbours or friends.
Find out more about tidying up at home
Cleaning up in the garden
Leaves do not belong in the residual waste container. Put them in the organic waste container or use them in the garden, for example for compost or soon as natural protection against frost. Read below how to make your own compost at home.
Storm and strong winds
The wind can be strong in autumn. Containers then blow over faster and waste is blown away more easily. So put your container outside just before 7.30 on the collection day and remove it from the road as soon as possible after emptying. Also prevent waste from being blown away during emptying. Put your waste in the right rubbish bag and tie it up tightly before you throw it in the container. Put PSWT in a transparent bag and tie it up tightly. For VGF waste, use special compostable bags with the Kiemplant logo or the OK compost logo. This keeps the waste together and prevents it from blowing into the street.
Prepared for storms and strong winds
Preparing for frost
Temperatures can drop significantly in autumn. If there is frost, waste can freeze in the container, especially damp VGF waste. This causes problems when emptying. You can prevent this easily: put a page of newspaper in the bottom of the container so that waste does not freeze to the ground. And use special compostable bags for your VGF waste with the OK compost logo or Kiemplant logo. Also, do not tamp down waste and only put the container outside just before 7.30 in the morning. This way the waste stays loose and the container can be emptied properly.
Looking ahead to the festive month
Gifts
November and December are months full of gifts, offers and cosiness. But all that buying often creates mountains of waste. Make it something special this year: give a gift that you experience together. Think of a day out, a voucher for an outing or a fun activity. This creates memories that last longer than stuff. Do you still opt for a gift? Think second-hand with a story or something you make yourself. Wrap creatively with a cloth or a nice poster: attractive and sustainable.
Being smart about gifts and packaging
Pakjesavond
You can also easily save waste around New Year's Eve. Make your surprise with items you already have around the house, such as boxes, toilet rolls or newspapers. It is creative, cheap and good for the environment. Use string instead of glue or tape and choose paper or cardboard that can be easily separated later. This will make it a fun and sustainable surprise.
Tips for a creative and green Sinterklaas surprise
Christmas atmosphere at home
After St Nicholas, many people are already getting the house ready for Christmas. Consider a sustainable alternative to the Christmas tree: a sturdy (second-hand) artificial tree that will last for years, a wooden tree or a festively decorated houseplant. This way, you can bring atmosphere into your home without unnecessary waste.
Discover sustainable alternatives to the traditional Christmas tree
Lots of boxes and old paper?
Boxes from online shops? Always make them small and flat before putting them in the waste paper. Then nothing will clog up and we can empty the container properly. Do the tear test on wrapping paper: if it tears well, you can dispose of it as waste paper. Does it not tear or is it very shiny? Then it belongs in the residual waste. This is how we keep the waste mountain small together - also during the holidays.
Find out the best destination for your boxes and paper
Together through the seasons
With small actions, you can make a big difference yourself. Together, we ensure less waste, a clean neighbourhood and a pleasant living environment. So we go through the seasons together, step by step to a waste-free future
Looking for more inspiration to avoid wasting resources? View more handy tips