Bulky waste collection in Voorschoten will now be subject to a fee
Starting January 1, 2024, residents of Voorschoten will only be able to have their bulky waste picked up at home for a fee. There are two main reasons for this. First, it allows the municipality to keep the costs of waste separation under control. Second, the fee encourages residents to take their bulky waste to the waste drop-off station themselves.
Taking bulky waste to the recycling center yourself is better for the environment. This is because waste that residents have picked up from their homes is shredded and incinerated. Nearly half of the waste that residents drop off at the recycling center themselves is sorted and recycled.
Pickup vs. Delivery
“In Voorschoten, we’re committed to reducing the amount of residual waste and the costs associated with it,” explains Alderman Hubert Schokker. “Pay-as-you-go collection has several advantages. It ensures that ‘the polluter pays,’ in the sense that you only pay for the collection of your own bulky waste and not—through the waste collection fee—for all bulky waste in Voorschoten. At the same time, it reduces the costs of waste processing, staff, and equipment.”
25 euros per cubic meter
Starting January 1, 2024, a maximum of 1 cubic meter (1 meter wide, 1 meter high, 1 meter long) of bulky waste may be placed out for collection per pickup. The fee for this is 25 euros. Bulky waste is waste that is too large or too heavy to fit in a trash bag or container, such as furniture or carpeting. The municipality collects most types of bulky waste, with the exception of construction and demolition waste, for example.
Delivering it yourself is still free
Residents can choose whether to have their bulky waste picked up or to take it themselves to the Avalex waste drop-off station in Wassenaar. Councilmember Schokker: “Taking bulky waste to the drop-off station yourself remains free of charge. But perhaps even more importantly, bulky waste is sorted more effectively for recycling at the drop-off station. Curbside pickup is carried out using a compactor truck. That’s expensive and polluting, and it simply yields far fewer usable raw materials.”
Other steps
Introducing a fee-based bulky waste pickup service is not the only step toward sustainable waste separation and processing. In June, the poster campaign “Voorschoten is Committed to Waste Separation” was launched. In addition, all residents will soon receive a letter regarding a free kitchen bin for organic waste and food scraps. Finally, arrangements are still being made regarding the drop-off of mattresses and the “post-sorting” of plastic packaging, metal packaging, and beverage cartons (PMD).
Want to know more?
By offering bulk waste pickup for a fee, the municipality is implementing the 2021–2025 Raw Materials Plan, which the city council adopted in late 2021. For details on the plan and more information about waste, the opening hours of the waste drop-off station (the recycling center), and how to make an appointment, residents can visit www.voorschoten.nl/afval.