Commercial Waste

The municipality is responsible for collecting household waste. If you own a business or company, you are responsible for sorting and arranging for the collection of your commercial waste. Different rules, a different funding structure, and a different collection method apply to commercial waste. The amount and type of commercial waste determine which rules and environmental requirements apply to your commercial waste.

If you own a business or company, you must comply with the rules and environmental requirements that apply to the disposal and storage of your commercial waste.

Sorting Commercial Waste

You are required to sort your commercial waste. Visit the "Waste Guide for Businesses" website to find out which types of commercial waste you must sort: Waste Guide for Businesses: Take the Quiz | Ondernemersplein (kvk.nl).

Registered collector or waste processor

You enter into a contract with a registered collector or waste processor. Visit the website of the National and International Road Transport Organization (NIWO) for the national VIHB list of registered carriers, collectors, dealers, and brokers: Search for VIHB Registrations (niwo.nl).    

The 25-meter rule

If your business sells food or beverages that customers can consume immediately, the 25-meter rule applies. This means:

• You are required to keep the area around your business clean.
• You will place a trash can that can be put to good use. The trash can will be located in or near your business, and you will be responsible for emptying it.
• Businesses are required to clean up commercial waste within 25 meters of their premises. You should do this as often as necessary.

These rules can be found in the Voorschoten Waste Management Ordinance. Click here to read the Municipality of Voorschoten’s Waste Management Ordinance.

Batteries, electrical appliances, and light bulbs

Wecycle for Businesses helps you sort batteries, electrical appliances, and light bulbs.

Visit Wecycle’s website for businesses at for more information. The website also provides a list of all participating collection points where your business can drop off batteries, electrical appliances, and light bulbs.

By recycling your old electrical appliances, you can prevent a great deal of environmental pollution, and your company can help create a better environment.

Better Organizing Waste Streams

Circulair Vooruit! is a free, practical, and results-oriented program for small and medium-sized businesses that want to manage their waste streams more cost-effectively, efficiently, and intelligently.

This program will give you a better understanding of your own waste streams. You’ll receive guidance from experienced experts who will provide helpful tips on waste management, waste contracts, circular procurement, and workplace behavior.

Visit the Circulair Vooruit! website at for more information about this initiative.

More information

If you have any questions about commercial waste, please contact the Rijkswaterstaat Waste Management Help Desk. Visit the Rijkswaterstaat website: Waste Management Help Desk - Circular Waste. 

If you have any questions about circular business practices and sustainable business operations, please contact the West-Holland Environmental Agency. Visit the Omgevingsdienst NL website: We’re all in this together when it comes to circular business practices! - Omgevingsdienst NL.