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Many residents have questions about the new waste and resources policy, waste separation and waste charges. This is understandable. That is why you will find answers to frequently asked questions about containers here.

Do you have another question? Ask us your question. We will do our best to answer your question to the best of our ability. And you help complete this list of frequently asked questions right away.

In June 2021, the municipal councils of the Gorinchem, Hardinxveld-Giessendam, Molenlanden and Vijfheerenlanden municipalities adopted the new waste and raw materials policy. This states, among other things, that residents of high-rise buildings and residents of low-rise buildings without space for three types of containers will put pmd and residual waste together in the collection container for residual waste. All collection containers for pmd will disappear.

By high-rise buildings we mean flats, flats and upstairs houses. Low-rise houses without 3 types of containers are, for example, in the city centre of Gorinchem and within the fortress of Nieuwpoort.

This was decided after a waste analysis of the collection containers in 2021. This analysis showed that there are still (far) too many raw materials such as plastic packaging, metal packaging and drink cartons (pmd) in the residual waste from high-rise and low-rise houses without space for containers. This waste analysis also showed that pmd collection containers still contain a lot of the wrong waste. In both cases, this means that unnecessary quantities of raw materials have to be incinerated. We want to prevent this.

That is why we now collect PMD and residual waste from high-rise and low-rise houses without three types of containers together. We collect this waste separately and have it post-separated with a machine at the waste processor. This separates the pmd from the residual waste. In 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 trucks reads the chip at every emptying. Without the chip, we cannot empty your container. This way, we combat illegal containers, we can better manage the stock and provide you with an even better service. Furthermore, with this registration we can improve the routes and help residents separate waste (even) better.

This registration is also necessary because municipalities Gorinchem, Hardinxveld-Giessendam and Molenlanden will calculate the waste charges in a new way from 1 January 2024. With this new way, you will have an influence on the amount of part of the waste charges. A part is fixed and a part is variable. This varying part is called the recycling rate. You then pay the recycling rate each time you have your residual waste container emptied. Do you separate raw materials well and have little residual waste? The municipality takes into account people with a lot of medical waste, litter pickers and people with insufficient income.

Residents of Vijfheerenlanden municipality will not yet be affected by part of the waste collection fee. That municipality will decide later on the introduction of the recycling tariff.

> Find out more and stay informed

Yes, from 1 January 2024 the municipalities of Gorinchem, Hardinxveld-Giessendam and Molenlanden will calculate the waste charges in a new way. You will then have an influence on the amount of part of the waste collection levy. This part is variable and is called the recycling fee. You then pay the recycling fee each time you have your residual waste container emptied. Do you separate raw materials well and have little residual waste? Then the costs will be lower than if you have a lot of residual waste. In this way, the municipalities want to encourage residents to reduce their residual waste and separate it (even) better. Because separating less residual waste and raw materials is better for the environment and your wallet.

Residents of Vijfheerenlanden municipality do not get to influence the level of part of the waste collection fee. This municipality will decide later on the introduction of the recycling tariff.

> Find out more about waste charges

If you are a resident of the municipality of Gorinchem, Hardinxveld-Giessendam or Molenlanden, from 1 January 2024 you will pay the recycling rate for every time you have your residual waste container emptied. So you will not pay for the weight of your residual waste. It is therefore best not to put your container on the road until it is completely full. That way, others can't add any more waste to it either.
If someone throws rubbish in your container anyway, please speak to that person yourself. Throwing unsolicited rubbish in someone else's container is not allowed. Unless you agree on it together.

Municipality of Vijfheerenlanden will decide on the recycling tariff after an evaluation on the effects of the other measures.

> Find out more and stay informed

Have you accidentally thrown valuable personal items into a collection container? Then call our customer contact centre as soon as possible: 0183 68 11 11. When reporting this, please give the number and location of the collection container.

If the container has not yet been emptied, we can make an appointment to empty it in front of you. This way, you can look for your belongings yourself. We can make the appointment with you on working days between 8.30am and 5pm. Outside these days and times, this is not possible. The cost for an emergency emptying is €150.00. You pay the fee for this emergency emptying in advance by pin.

We cannot guarantee that you will recover your belongings. The cost of emergency emptying will then not be refunded.

Yes, you can. There is also a collection container for residual waste with card reader at the environmental centres. All residents of Gorinchem, Hardinxveld-Giessendam, Molenlanden and Vijfheerenlanden can use the environmental pass to dispose of a bag of residual waste at all our waste collection points. For this, you pay the same recycling rate as when you dispose of a bag of residual waste in the collection container in your neighbourhood. Do you live in an outlying area? Then you pay the recycling rate for low-rise buildings that applies in your municipality. This recycling rate is charged at the end of the year with the fixed part of the 2025 waste charges.

Residents of Vijfheerenlanden municipality will not yet be affected by part of the waste collection fee. This municipality will decide on the introduction of tariffs later.

Residents of the former municipality of Lingewaal cannot dispose of residual waste at the environmental centres with the AVRI pass.

Yes, even as a resident of a flat, flat or upstairs building, you can separate vegetable, fruit and garden waste and food waste (VGF). A clear wish of many high-rise residents, according to the extensive resident survey in 2020. That is why there are GFT collection containers near flats and flats. The environmental card allows you to open these VGF containers. So you do not have to pay separately to dispose of your VGF waste.

Tip: in the kitchen, use a kitchen waste bin. You can easily collect fruit, vegetable and food waste in it. Supermarkets sell special compostable bags for the bin. Full bags can be disposed of in the VGF waste container.

Rolstoelgebruiker en verzamelcontainer gftYes, wheelchair users can also use the GFT collection containers. The supplier has designed the container so that the flap opens towards you. So you don't have to reach forward. As soon as you open the flap, it stays open. The wide opening with low raised edge allows a wheelchair user to throw the bins into the flap with two hands free.
The advice is to ride alongside so that you get closer to the valve with your arms. So not with your feet towards the valve. See image below. As a wheelchair user, you should reach about head height to put the GFT in the flap. The image is for illustrative purposes. Not everyone is the same size and every wheelchair can be different.