Waste and recycling

In Dutch: Afval en recyclen

The text below describes the system of waste collection in the Nijmegen municipality, by DAR. If you live in another municipality, please look up how things work there on the municipality's website.

In order to be sustainable, we try to recycle waste as much as we can by separating different types of waste.

'General waste'

In Dutch: Rest-afval

'General waste' is the waste that is left over after you disposed of all the other types of waste listed below. Find more detailed information on DAR's website (in Dutch).

You collect the general waste in special binliners which you can buy from most supermarkets, at the till or counter. The green binliners hold 50 liters and cost € 10.90 for a roll of 10, the red ones hold 25 liters and cost € 6.90 for a roll of 10. The price includes taxation for waste removal.

You close the binbag with one of the provided strips and put it out on the street. DAR comes to your street once a week; in most areas they alternate between 'Green waste' in one week, and 'General' and 'Plastic+' waste in the other, on the same weekday. You leave your waste in the designated place, either in front of your home or on a place that is marked with special tiles, often on the street corner. Find out when your waste is collected from the waste calendar for your area.

In some places, e.g. at blocks of flats, there are special underground containers where you can dispose of your waste at any time.

Plastic+ waste

In Dutch: Plastic+ afval

Plastic+ waste consists of plastic, tins/cans, and plastic-coated cartons for drinks such as milk or fruit juice. Find more detailed information on DAR's website (in Dutch).

You collect your plastic+ waste in special, orange binliners that can be bought from most supermarkets. The bags have a 50-liter content and cost € 0.50 for a roll of 10.

In most neighbourhoods the plastic+ waste is collected together with the general / leftover waste, every other week. You put the two bags out on the street together. Find out when your waste is collected from the waste calendar for your postal code, and watch how your neighbours do it.

'Green' waste

(Vegetable, fruit and garden waste)
In Dutch: GFT-afval (groente-, fruit- en tuin-afval)

'Green waste' consists of vegetable leftovers, eggshells, coffee, tea, meat, fish, plants etc. Find more detailed information on DAR's website (in Dutch).

Most homes will have a special green bin for their green waste. If you don't have one, order a new bin from the City Council. Please note that there are large bins that are convenient for large household and those who have a lot of garden waste; for smaller households the smaller bins are more convenient.

In order to dispose of your 'green' waste, follow the explanation under 'General waste', above.

Paper waste

In Dutch: Oud papier ('old paper')

Your paper waste can consist of paper, cardboard, egg cartons, toilet rolls etc. Before disposing of your paper, please remove plastic covers, metal rings and such. Find more detailed information on DAR's website (in Dutch).

Most homes will have a special blue bin for their paper waste. If you don't have one, order a new bin from the City Council or use a cardboard box from the supermarket.

DAR collects paper waste once a month. You leave your large blue bin or cardboard boxes in the designated place in the evening, either in front of your home or on a place that is marked with special tiles, often on the corner of your street. Find out when your paper waste is collected from the waste calendar for your postal code.

Glass

In Dutch: Glas-afval

Empty glass bottles or jars. Find more detailed information on DAR's website (in Dutch).

There are no special containers to keep your glass waste. You can dispose of your glass at special containers outside supermarkets, called 'glas-bak' in Dutch. The bottles do not have to be perfectly clean, you can even keep the lids on. However, it is important to separate the colours white (wit), green (groen) and brown (bruin). Find your nearest 'glas-bak'.

Textiles and fabric

In Dutch: Textiel-afval

Old clothes, cloths, shoes, cuddly toys. Find more detailed information on DAR's website (in Dutch).

Keep the textile waste dry and clean until you dispose of it. You can dispose of your textiles at special containers called 'textiel-bak' in Dutch. They are usually found next to the glass containers outside supermarkets. Please tie shoes together and put the clothes in a closed plastic bag. Find your nearest 'textiel-bak'.

No free plastic bags

In Dutch: Geen plastic tasjes

Because of an environmental law you will always have to pay a small fee for a plastic bag at supermarkets and other stores in The Netherlands. Some stores have paper bags that are for free. Of course you can and are recommended to bring your own bag.

More detailed information

Find more detailed information on the following subjects:
> Containers, bags and binliners
> Other types of waste and how to dispose of them