Summer is the season of outdoor living and relaxation. We are outside more, out and about or on holiday. Especially then, Waardlanden helps you with handy tips to reduce waste, separate it better and keep your surroundings clean. With a few simple habits, you can prevent full containers, unpleasant odours and litter. That way, we can enjoy a fresh, tidy summer together.
Keep your container fresh and well emptied
Warm weather and food waste are not a nice combination. Rubbish can then smell, stick or get stuck in the container faster. Pests such as fruit flies and maggots also develop more quickly. With a few simple habits, you can avoid smells, pests and waste left behind.
- Keep waste as dry as possible. Let food waste drain and freshly cut grass dry for a day before putting it in the container.
- Put a page of newspaper or some straw on the bottom. This absorbs moisture and prevents waste from sticking.
- Put the container in the shade. Heat makes waste fester and stick faster.
- Pack perishable waste well. Wrap meat, fish and fruit scraps in newspaper or use compostable organic waste bags with the Kiemplant or OK compost logo.
- You can also keep meat and fish waste in the freezer until the day of collection. Throw it frozen in the container just before you take it to the street. That way it won't rot and attract pests.
- Do not press waste. A loose content comes off better when emptied.
- Place a few branches of ivy (Hedera) or some fresh lavender in your kitchen waste container against maggots and nasty smells.
- Clean the container regularly. Use water and a little green soap, not chlorine or insect repellent.
A fresh and easy-to-empty container
On holiday? Arrange your waste before departure
In summer, many people go on holiday or away for a few days. It is smart to take care of waste at home before leaving. If rubbish is left for too long, it can start to smell or attract pests. With a few simple habits, you can avoid full bins, nasty smells and angry neighbours.
- Before leaving, empty all bins in the house, especially the kitchen and garden waste bin.
- Do not put rubbish bags in shed or corridor.
- Be careful what you put in the container. Do not just throw waste together to fill up the container, but separate it properly. This way, raw materials stay clean and can be reused.
- Have your container emptied on time. Check your personal waste calendar to see when we empty containers in your neighbourhood
- Ask someone to help. A neighbour or acquaintance can put out the container on collection day and take it back.
This is how you keep your home clean and fresh - even when you are away for a while. And by separating waste properly, you help preserve valuable resources.
Arrange your waste before your holiday
Enjoy a waste-free barbecue
Summer is the time of long evenings, being outside and enjoying a barbecue together. With a few smart choices, you can keep it cosy, safe and waste-free.
Opt for reusable
Do not use disposable utensils or aluminium foil, but reusable plates, cups and cutlery. You can find many at the thrift shop. Or consider reusable napkins and beeswax cloths to cover food.
Dispose of coal and ashes safely
Coal and ashes often stay hot longer than you think. Let coals and ashes cool for at least a day, in a metal bucket with a lid, before disposing of them with residual waste. Put the bucket on a stone surface, for example on the patio, not in the shed or container. Only when everything is really cold, throw the remains in a well-sealed bag with the residual waste. Coal and ashes do not belong with the GFT - they contain salts and metals that interfere with compost.
Separate the rest of your BBQ waste
Plastic packaging and cans belong with the pmd. Clean paper can go with the waste paper; dirty or greasy paper belongs with the residual waste.
Enjoy a barbecue without waste
Less disposable, more reusable
At home, on the road or at work: everywhere, we unwittingly use a lot of disposable packaging. By changing small habits, together we can save a lot of waste.
Take a reusable drinking bottle, lunch box or container with you when you go out. This will save piles of plastic cups, straws and packaging. The more often we do this, the more raw materials we conserve and the less waste there will be. In this way, we make recycling more natural step by step - for ourselves and for future generations.
More tips for waste-free summer trips
Summer inflatables
Before summer every year, check that your inflatables are still good. Small holes can sometimes be easily fixed with a repair kit. And do you want something new? First see if you can borrow, share or find it second-hand. This keeps the summer fun great and the waste small.
Inflatable items such as air mattresses, swimming bands or beach balls are made of different types of plastic that cannot be easily separated. As a result, they cannot be recycled. So throw broken inflatable articles with the residual waste - not with the PMD. This keeps the recyclable raw materials clean and enables better recycling.
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