Household Waste collection in Wassenaar

In Wassenaar, cleaning company Avalex collects all the household waste, food, and organic waste as well paper from your home. You can find the day that your household and organic waste and paper is picked up, by entering your postal code on their website’s household waste calendar.
Do you live in a high-rise and don’t have your own container? Please use the shared containers near your home. Avalex also empties these. There is no fixed day for emptying these containers; they are emptied once they are almost full. 

The different waste streams

Residual and- PMD waste

There is one container for all residual, plastic, tin and drink cartons (PMD). The waste disposal company distils the PMD from the residual waste at a later stage so it can be recycled. 

All of your empty shampoo bottle, plastic bags for lettuce, empty soda cans and empty juice cartons go into the residual waste container. 
All packaging is sorted by our final processor and turned into raw materials that can be re-used for new packaging. The more packaging materials in the container, the better! Your residual waste container will be emptied weekly by Avalex.

Food and organic waste (GFT)

Coffee grounds, apple peel, faded flowers: most of our waste is compost (GFT). We separate this because it makes for good fertilizer and fuel (biogas). Please, dispose of your food waste and cuttings in the GFT container. Did you know that a third of all household residual waste consists of compost? It is such a waste, because if it gets caught up in the residual waste, it gets burned. 

So, if you throw away food and organic waste, please do so in the compost container. This way, they can create fertilizer for plants and fuel, and we make sure your food waste goes to good use. Avalex emptied your compost container is emptied once every 14 days.

Wat goes in the compost container? 

  • Waste from vegetables, fruit and potatoes
  • Food waste (cooked, fried and raw)
  • Eggshells, peanut shells and nuts
  • Flowers and plants
  • Coffee filters, coffee grounds and tea leaves
  • Grass, straws, and leaves
  • Pruning waste, small branches and twigs
  • Garden plants (no sand or earth)

Paper

Paper is collected separately in the blue container. You can also choose to throw paper away yourself in the designated containers in one of waste disposal parks in Wassenaar.

Paper is made of wood. If you re-use paper, less trees need to be cut down. Recycling 1000 kg of paper saves 3,3 trees. By recycling, we reduce the waste stream and waste mountain, and we save on processing costs. Check avalex.nl to find a facility near you. 

Glass

Glass can be recycled indefinitely. In our waste separation, we distinguish two types of glass: flat glass and municipal solid (bottle) glass. Flat glass includes car glass, windows, or glass panels. Solid glass are containers such as beer and wine bottles, and bottles for jars of food. 
Solid (bottle) glass consists of 50% white and 50% coloured glass. Coloured glass consists of 50% green and 50% brown glass. 
You can throw away your glass in the glass containers in one of the waste disposal parks in Wassenaar. 

Clothes, shoes and textiles

You can deposit your textiles in one of the containers at the designated waste disposal parks in Wassenaar. This way your clothes get a second life. Good quality clothes go to one of the thrift stores or are sent to countries in need. Worn clothes will be processed by a clothes studio before moving on to a new owner. 

Non-wearable fabrics also receive a new life. You can think of clothes that are torn or sheets, towels, and curtains. The fabrics are torn apart and fiberized. They make new clothes form these textiles but also use the fabric for isolation materials, blankets for movers and car seats. 

Do’s and Don’ts

  • Don’t put textiles next to the containers
  • Makes sure all textiles are in a closed bag to remain dry
  • Make sure shoes are tied or packed together 
  • Don’t put glass or paper next to the containers