Step-by-step plan: Separating company waste
In the Netherlands, separating company waste is mandatory. This step-by-step plan tells you how to deal with your company waste. Which waste should you separate, how can you have it collected, and what you can do to reduce your waste flow.
What you must separate depends on your situation. The acreage of your company and the amount of waste you produce, for instance. Use the Company waste separation tool to find out which rules apply to your situation, and which types of waste you must separate.
You may wish to separate even more waste than you are required to do. For example, in the following situations:
- You want to save money. If you have a lot of one type of waste, it may be cheaper to have it collected separately. This often reduces the cost of residual waste.
- You want to contribute to a healthier environment. If you separate waste, the materials can be recycled.
Make a list of the waste your company throws out on a regular basis. You can use this list and the results of the Company waste tool to come to an arrangement with your waste collecting company. For example, you agree on the price, what types of waste will be collected and how much.
Reduce your company waste
Does your waste include a lot of packaging material? Reduce this by making arrangements with your regular suppliers. You can also make use of the free collection of separated plastic packaging, drinks cartons (PD) and glass via Afval goed geregeld (waste well-regulated, in Dutch). However, you must comply with certain conditions. Read what else you can do to reduce waste.
Save on your collection costs
You may be able to take advantage of free collection of separated plastic packaging, beverage cartons (PD) and glass via Afval goed geregeld (waste well arranged, in Dutch). You do need to comply with a few conditions. Read how you can save even more on raw materials through circular business on KVK.nl/en.
You may be able to save money if you sign a waste collection contract together with other entrepreneurs. Together, you will have more waste. You can share your waste costs:
- By co-signing a mutual contract, set up by an entrepreneur society, or a business improvement zone (bedrijveninvesteringszone, read how to set up one)
- By entering a contract set up by your sector organisation.
Talk to several certified waste collectors and ask about the options available. Not every waste collector offers the same options. Comparing them enables you to choose the collector that best suits your waste situation. Which collectors collect waste varies per region. Do you have waste that resembles household waste? In some cases, you can have it collected by the municipality by making use of your cleaning rights. Please contact your municipality for more information.
Only a certified waste collector is allowed to collect your company waste. Check the national list of Transporters, Collectors, Traders and Brokers (VIHB lijst, in Dutch) to see if your waste collector is a certified party. There are different categories of waste collectors:
- general collectors, that collect most types of waste;
- specialised collectors that only collect certain types of waste, for instance frying fat or archive material.
Make it as easy as possible for your employees to separate waste.The different waste streams must not contaminate each other. If there is too much incorrect waste mixed in, processors will not be able to recycle the waste. Ensure that everyone in your company knows which waste materials to put in which container:
- Choose the right containers for your company. Place containers with an opening that will only receive the correct waste, for instance a round opening for cups, or a slot for paper. There are different options, depending on the type of waste.
- Put the containers in logical places. The coffee machine is a logical place to put a cup container. The printer is where people expect to find the paper container.
- Colour and label the containers on all sides, and clearly state at eye level what can and cannot go in. These pictograms (in Dutch) are free to download and use.
Rijkswaterstaat offers an Inspiration guide: Working on behaviour towards better waste separation in your company (PDF, in Dutch).
If your company circumstances change, so will your waste types. Check regularly if you still comply with the rules. For example, do you manufacture a new product? Or has the demand for your products gone up? You may have different types of waste, or more waste.