Wondering where to put your rubbish in the Netherlands? Want to make sure you recycle properly? Waste management may not be the most glamorous of topics, but it’s taken seriously in the Netherlands, so it’s worth getting to grips with how to sort your bins correctly. Our guide explains what you need to know about garbage disposal, recycling and statiegeld in the Netherlands.
Recycling in the Netherlands
Recycling is a hot topic in a green country like the Netherlands. According to Eurostat figures from 2022, 57,6 percent of all municipal waste in the Netherlands is recycled, significantly above the bloc average of 49,1 percent. By 2050, the Netherlands aims to be an entirely waste-free country by reducing reliance on raw materials and increasing recycling rates.
Recyclable waste is processed in the Netherlands or other European countries, while non-recyclable waste is often incinerated to produce electricity, which is then fed back into the Dutch power grid.
Garbage disposal in the Netherlands
Waste management in the Netherlands is managed at a local level by municipalities and paid for through city taxes. This means that the details may vary from place to place, but broadly speaking there are four different ways that municipalities collect waste and recycling in the Netherlands:
- Waste and recycling bins at your home
- Communal waste and recycling bins
- Bottle deposit (statiegeld) machines
- Recycling centres
Since each different location is intended for different types of waste, it’s down to individuals to separate their rubbish in order to dispose of it correctly.
How to separate waste in the Netherlands
Separating your waste is fairly simple, once you get the hang of it. Generally speaking, rubbish in the Netherlands is separated into six different bins, as follows:
Paper and cardboard (papier)
Paper and cardboard is widely recycled across the Netherlands and goes in the bin marked “papier”. Remember to flatten cardboard boxes before you recycle them. Things that can go in the paper and cardboard recycling include:
- Envelopes (remove the plastic windows)
- Newspapers
- Magazines
- Cardboard boxes
- Egg cartons
- Toilet roll tubes
Soiled paper like greasy pizza boxes or dirty tissues and receipts cannot be put in the paper recycling; instead they need to go in the general waste bin.
Glass (glas)
Glass is also widely recycled in the Netherlands. While some glass bottles are subject to statiegeld (see below), others can be recycled in the containers marked “glas”. Depending on your location, you might be able to put all kinds of glass in one container, or need to separate them according to colour:
- White glass goes in the white bin (wit)
- Brown glass goes in the brown bin (bruin)
- Green glass goes in the green bin (groen)
- Other colours of glass go in the coloured bin (bont)
You don’t need to rinse out your containers, and it’s usually okay to leave the lids or caps on items. The following kinds of items can go in the glass recycling bin:
Glass cookware and tableware, drinking glasses, mirrors, eyeglass lenses and lightbulbs should not be put in glass recycling containers. Instead, you can put these items in the residual waste bin, or take them to a recycling centre.
Double check your bottles don’t have statiegeld (see below) before you recycle them. Bottles containing beer usually have statiegeld.
Plastic packaging, metal packaging and drink cartons (PMD)
Depending on where in the Netherlands you live, you may also have a separate receptacle for plastic packaging, metal packaging and drink cartons, known as PMD. This includes:
- Yoghurt pots
- Plastic fruit containers (punnets)
- Plastic bags and packaging for food and toiletry items
- Plastic bottles like milk bottles and shampoo bottles
- Tubs for butter, sauces and sandwich spreads
- Tubes for toothpaste, creams and lotions
- Plant pots
- Plastic lids for glass jars
- Tin cans for food and drink
- Drinks cans (check they don’t have statiegeld - see below)
- Metal lids for jars
- Aluminium foil and packaging trays
- Aluminium tea light cups
- Cartons for juice, wine and soups
You should not put the following in your PMD bin:
- Plastic products and utensils, like plastic plates, toothbrushes or toys
- Polystyrene
If your municipality does not collect PMD separately, you can put plastic packaging, metal packing and drinks cartons into the residual waste bin. In many municipalities, the PMD is then sorted out after the waste has been collected to be recycled.
Organic & kitchen waste (GFT)
A growing number of Dutch municipalities now also collect organic waste, known as “groente-, fruit- en tuinafval” or “GFT” in Dutch. You should collect your organic waste in a compostable bag before disposing of it in the organic waste bin. You can put the following in the organic waste:
- Food waste
- Coffee grounds and teabags (remove the label and string)
- Used napkins, tissues and paper towels
- Cut flowers
- Garden waste (no soil)
Clothing, shoes and textiles (textiel)
Some municipalities in the Netherlands also have special containers for clothing, shoes and other textiles, marked “textiel”. Make sure your items are clean and dry before putting them in a plastic bag and throwing them in the container.
You can throw away the following kinds of items:
- Clothing, including broken or torn items
- Shoes (tie the laces together)
- Hats and caps
- Purses and belts
- Towels
- Duvets and bedding
- Curtains
- Cuddly toys
However, if your textiles are still usable, you should consider donating them to a secondhand shop rather than throwing them away. Thrift stores in the Netherlands are known as kringloopwinkels and are happy to receive quality donations, including clothes, furniture and bric-a-brac.
Residual waste (restafval)
Anything else that cannot be recycled should go in the residual waste bin (restafval). This type of waste is still processed at waste management centres in the Netherlands, to separate out anything that can be recycled.
You should put the following items in the residual waste, rather than trying to recycle them:
- Disposable coffee cups
- Receipts
- Greasy takeaway food containers
- Mirrors, porcelain and ceramics
Note that some things like batteries, lightbulbs and electronics should not be put in the residual waste. Neither should large or bulky items that do not fit in the container. See below for where to dispose of these types of items.
Garbage bins at your home
Some municipalities give households in certain areas individual waste or wheelie bins directly outside their homes (kerbside recycling). These bins are then collected around once a week. You’ll need to make sure your wheelie bins are accessible on your designated collection day so they can be emptied.
Garbage collection days
Your local waste collection service will inform you of what day your bins will be emptied (ophaaldag). Alternatively, you can find this information online (in English) via the mijnafvalwijzer website. Simply enter your postcode and house number.
Communal waste & recycling bins in the Netherlands
If you don’t have kerbside recycling at your home, you need to dispose of your waste and recycling in street level and underground waste containers. These communal containers look like large wheelie bins or overground metal boxes that sit on top of an underground container.
To find your local communal waste and recycling bins, check your municipality’s website.
The municipality will regularly empty your local communal container, so you shouldn’t need to worry about it overfilling, or remembering to put your wheelie bin out on a certain day.
Note that you may need a special card to open your local communal waste bins. You tap the card against the reader to unlock the lid. If you don’t have a card, or if you have lost it, contact your local municipality to order a new one.
Statiegeld in the Netherlands
In the Netherlands, many cans and bottles are part of a return scheme. When you buy one of these bottles or cans, you pay a deposit (statiegeld) for the container. When you return your empty container, you get your deposit back.
Statiegeld containers should therefore be returned rather than being put in the glass or plastic recycling, or in the residual waste.
How do I tell if a container has statiegeld?
Statiegeld is charged on the following types of containers:
- Large plastic bottles of soft drinks and water (25 cents)
- Small plastic bottles of soft drinks and water (15 cents)
- Metal drink cans and containers up to 3 litres (15 cents)
- Plastic bottles of juice (statiegeld varies according to producer)
- Beer crates (1,50 euros per crate)
A statiegeld container will also bear a logo containing the word “statiegeldblik” or “statiegeldfles” somewhere on its label.
How to return your bottles and cans to the supermarket
You can return deposit bottles and cans to collection points across the Netherlands, including:
You don’t necessarily need to have bought the statiegeld container at the location you’re returning it to. All supermarkets bigger than 200 square metres and petrol stations with attendants are mandatory collection points, meaning they must accept all statiegeld returns.
If you order groceries online, the supermarket you order from will usually take back your empty statiegeld containers and deduct the amount from your order total.
You can also return a container to a statiegeld donation point, meaning that you don’t receive your money back; instead you give it as a donation to the institution that runs that collection point, which is often a school, sports club or healthcare provider.
You can use the statiegeldnederland.nl website to find a collection point in your area.
How to use a statiegeld machine
The easiest way to return all your statiegeld items in one go is to use a statiegeld machine in a supermarket or petrol station. These machines are usually located at the back of the store. Pop your empty bottles in one at a time and the machine will scan the barcode.
If it’s accepted, the bottle will be pulled through to the back of the machine and the statiegeld amount will show on the display screen. If it’s not accepted, the machine will eject the bottle. This can happen, for instance, if the bottle is not empty or if the barcode is crinkled.
Do the same with all your bottles (if you’re returning a whole crate of beer, the machine will usually have a special conveyer belt at the bottom to deposit it in one go). When you’re finished, tap the button on the machine to confirm, and it will print a receipt with the total value of your statiegeld. You can take this directly to the till to cash in, or deduct against the value of your shopping.
What happens to bottles and cans after they are returned?
What happens to statiegeld bottles and cans after they are returned depends on what they are made of.
Glass beer bottles are generally returned to the manufacturer, where they are cleaned and then refilled and sold again. Glass bottles can be reused in this way up to 50 times, so the statiegeld system helps to reduce waste and energy consumption.
Plastic and metal containers are recycled: they are scrapped into pellets and then melted down to create new metal cans and plastic bottles, or other items.
Public recycling points
Some types of waste need to be taken to special recycling points to be recycled. This includes:
- Batteries
- Lightbulbs
- Electronics
Recycling batteries & lightbulbs
Batteries cannot be put in the residual waste bin as they contain harmful chemicals; instead they can be recycled at battery recycling points, which you can find in most supermarkets and shops that sell appliances. You can find a spot to drop them off on this website. Some supermarkets also recycle lightbulbs.
Recycling electronics
Electrical appliances should not be put in the general waste bin, either. The exact guidelines will vary depending on your municipality, but in general the following applies:
- Small electronics can be recycled at shops that sell electrical appliances
- Large electronics need to be taken to a recycling centre or collected as bulky waste (see below)
Recycling centres in the Netherlands
Most items can be disposed of at your local recycling centre, known as a waste collection point (afvalpunt or recyclepunt). You may need to bring a form of ID and proof that you live locally (such as a letter addressed to you) in order to use a recycling centre.
You can dispose of the following kinds of things at recycling centres:
- Construction materials
- Bulky garden waste and soil
- Furniture
- Electronics
- Appliances
- Carpets
- Mattresses
- Paint and varnishes
- Car tyres
- Oils and fats
- Gas bottles and fire extinguishers
- Windows, mirrors and large pieces of glass
A small fee may be payable.
Note that recycling centres do not accept commercial waste; they are intended for private households and not businesses.
Bulky waste collection (grof afval)
If you are unable to make it to a recycle centre (for instance if you don’t drive) and you have a large or bulky item (grof avfal) to dispose of that will not fit into the communal waste bins, you can arrange for the item to be collected. Some municipalities charge a fee for this service.
Depending on the municipality, they may have set days that they collect certain types of waste, or will arrange to come out specially, but you always need to book a collection for your bulky waste. You can do this by visiting your municipality’s website.
Once your collection is booked, your municipality will tell you when to leave your waste out on the street to be collected. Make sure that you follow their instructions. You could be fined if you do not dispose of your waste correctly.
Waste disposal tax (afvalstoffenheffing)
In the Netherlands, all tenants and owner-occupiers pay a waste collection charge (afvalstoffenheffing) to the municipality for the collection and disposal of their waste. It is usually added to other municipal taxes to make up the combined tax assessment (gecombineerde aanslag), which is issued once per year.
The municipality calculates the waste disposal tax based on the number of people registered at your address. It is the same no matter how much waste you produce.
If you own your own home, you pay this tax yourself. If you are renting, you may pay the tax directly to the municipality, or to your landlord as part of your home utilities, but check your rental contract or with your landlord to be sure.