“A high percentage of customers are willing to return cans if they have a deposit”
Translated by Adriana Dancu
Under the motto ‘Yes We Can’, a campaign has started for the rapid introduction of a deposit on cans and tins. It is an initiative of the Depositiegeldalliantie, in which 68 Dutch and Belgian municipalities, and dozens of organisations (including the LTO and the Consumers’ Association) and companies such as ASN, and Triodos Bank participate.
According to the alliance, a political decision must be made quickly on a deposit scheme. The original agreement that the cabinet made with the business community is that by the autumn of 2021 the share of cans in litter will be reduced by at least 70 percent. “We now see that more and more cans are left in nature, that is why we say: the decision can already be made”, says Suze Govers of the Deposit Alliance, and as reported by the NOS.
State Secretary Van Veldhoven has done the same with the plastic bottles, says Govers. “She saw that more instead of fewer plastic bottles went into nature. That motivated her to make the decision about plastic bottles sooner.” In April it was decided to impose a deposit on small plastic bottles from 1 July 2021. It is expected that after that 70 to 90 percent fewer plastic bottles will end up on the street or in nature.
The deposit campaign is conducted online with the image of a green can and a thumb up, adapted to each participating municipality and organization. Attention to the reuse of cans is also requested with posters, advertisements and in newsletters. According to the Deposit Alliance, research has shown that a high percentage of customers are willing to return cans if they have a deposit.
Being green in the Netherlands
The Netherlands is one of the ten leading European country in recycling. In 2016, the Netherlands recycled 46.3% of its waste.
In the Netherlands, waste recycling is under the responsibility of local authorities. Different municipality implements different systems. There is also an environmental tax for recycling service, which may be billed monthly or included in a rental contract.
Every year, municipalities publish a calendar with the pickup dates, and addresses of the waste separation and recycling stations, called an Afvalwijzer.
Recycling in the Netherlands- guidelines (make sure to check with your local Gemeente!)
In the Netherlands, there are different containers for recyclable and non-recyclable waste.
Organic waste, which includes food and garden waste, should be put in the green container.
Glass should be put in special containers for glass, which are located in different locations on the street, and near supermarket places, separating white glass (wit glas) from colored glass (bont glas).
Plastic waste should be put in containers marked Plastic verpakkingen. Like glass containers, there are several drop-off points in each neighborhood and near supermarkets.
Paper and cardboard waste should be put in designated containers. A paper recycling bin can be issued to a household on request to the local council. Otherwise, paper can be recycled at any drop-off points in the neighborhood.
Textiles and clothing waste should be put in designated containers, which can be found at any recycling drop-off points.
Toxic and dangerous waste
Medication should be returned to the pharmacy.
Batteries should be put in collections boxes at supermarkets or petrol stations.
Small hazardous waste or chemical waste such as energy saving light bulbs, detergents, paint, varnish, oil and cosmetics should be dropped at a collection point (Afvalspunten). In Amsterdam, they can also be taken to the Chemokar, a truck that parks on designated points.
Bulk waste, construction and demolition waste, and electronic/electrical goods should be brought to a waste collection point (Afvalspunten).
The local authorities can also provide a bulk household goods collection service for large objects (furniture) or other waste. Bulk waste is “grofvuil” and collection can be booked in advance by telephone. In some areas there is a charge but most areas provide a free collection every two weeks with extra collections incurring a fee.
Image via Piqsels. Rights-free.
