In this guide
The Netherlands takes waste sorting seriously. It has one of the most elaborate municipal waste systems in Europe, and compliance is expected. This is not something you can ignore: in some municipalities, incorrect sorting results in your bin not being collected, or fines, or — at minimum — disapproving looks from neighbours.
This guide explains the Dutch system clearly, so you do not need twenty minutes with your neighbour. If you are just arriving, my complete guide to moving to the Netherlands covers the bigger picture.
💡 Looking for a complete banking comparison? Read Best banking for expats in the Netherlands 2026 — covers ABN, ING, Bunq, Wise, Revolut & 5 others by expat use case.
The Dutch Waste Categories
The Netherlands typically separates household waste into 5-8 categories, depending on your municipality. The main ones are:
| Category | Dutch name | Container/bag colour | What goes in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plastic, metal, drink cartons | PMD | Orange bag or grey/orange container | See below |
| Paper and cardboard | Papier/karton | Blue bag or blue container | See below |
| Glass | Glas | Glass collection containers (street) | Jars, bottles |
| Organic and garden waste | GFT (groente, fruit, tuinafval) | Green container | See below |
| Residual waste | Restafval | Grey/black container | Everything else |
| Hazardous waste | Chemisch afval / KCA | Milieustraat | Batteries, paint, chemicals |
| Bulky waste | Grof vuil | Collection appointment or milieustraat | Furniture, appliances |
Not every municipality provides all categories at the doorstep. Some only have residual waste and paper collection by house; others collect PMD too. Check your local afvalkalender.
PMD: The Orange Bag System
PMD is the category that confuses expats most because it combines what many countries separate — plastic, metal, and drink cartons — into one stream.
What Goes In
- Plastic: bottles (shampoo, cleaning products, drink bottles without statiegeld), food containers (yoghurt pots, margarine tubs), plastic lids and caps, plastic trays (clean), synthetic packaging, blister packs
- Metal: tin cans (soup, beans, tomatoes), aluminium cans, aluminium foil and trays, aerosol cans (empty), metal lids from jars, small metal items
- Drinkpakketten (drink cartons): Tetra Pak containers (juice, milk, oat milk, soup), cardboard cartons with a plastic layer
What Does NOT Go In PMD
- Plastic bags used as bin liners (these contaminate the stream)
- Polystyrene/foam packaging
- Hard plastic toys or household items (goes to milieustraat)
- Garden hoses, buckets, crates
- Yoghurt containers with significant residue (rinse lightly first)
- Large plastic items (furniture, containers over 5L)
How to Collect PMD
Many municipalities provide orange PMD bags. You collect PMD in these bags and put them out on collection day. Some municipalities use an orange container at the kerb or a shared container in apartment buildings. Check your afvalkalender.
Statiegeld: The Deposit Return System
Statiegeld (deposit return) was introduced in the Netherlands for large PET bottles in 2002 and significantly expanded in 2021-2023 to include small bottles and cans.
Current Deposit Values (2026)
| Container type | Statiegeld per item |
|---|---|
| Small plastic PET bottles (up to 1L) | €0.15 |
| Large plastic PET bottles (above 1L) | €0.25 |
| Metal cans (all sizes, since 2023) | €0.15 |
How to Return and Claim
- Bring your empty bottles and cans to a statiegeld return machine (inzamelmachine) — found at most supermarkets (Albert Heijn, Jumbo, Lidl, Aldi, PLUS, Dirk)
- Feed bottles and cans into the machine individually — it scans the barcode and registers the deposit value
- Press the button to print a voucher (bon)
- Use the voucher at the checkout as payment or exchange for cash
What Has Statiegeld
Not all plastic bottles carry statiegeld — only PET bottles. Glass bottles generally do not (except returnable beer bottles from certain brands — these have a separate return system). Look for the statiegeld logo on the packaging.
Glass Bottles and Beer Returns
Some Dutch beer brands (Heineken, Grolsch, Amstel) use returnable glass bottles with a separate deposit system. Return these to the same supermarket where you bought them. The supermarket will check the brand and accept returns only for their own stock in some cases.
Paper and Cardboard (Papier/Karton)
Paper and cardboard collection is simple:
What Goes In
- Newspapers and magazines
- Boxes (flattened) — pizza boxes, cereal boxes, Amazon packaging
- Envelopes (including with windows)
- Egg cartons (clean)
- Office paper, books (without hard covers)
- Paper bags
What Does NOT Go In
- Wet or contaminated cardboard
- Wax-coated or laminated paper (sandwich wrappers, some food packaging)
- Tissue paper or kitchen paper
- Tetra Pak cartons (these go in PMD)
- Hardcover books (remove the cover — cover goes in restafval, pages in papier)
Collection Methods
Blue bags or blue containers, depending on your municipality. Paper is usually collected less frequently than residual waste — often bi-weekly or monthly. Many municipalities also have shared paper containers on the street.
Glass (Glas)
Glass is not collected door-to-door in most Dutch municipalities. Instead, you bring it to a glass container (glasbak) located in the neighbourhood — near supermarkets, in car parks, or at street corners.
What Goes In
- Glass jars (rinsed — remove lids)
- Glass bottles (rinsed)
- Wine bottles, beer bottles without statiegeld
What Does NOT Go In
- Window glass (put in restafval or take to milieustraat)
- Mirrors
- Pyrex or oven glass
- Light bulbs (milieustraat)
- Ceramic mugs or plates
Many glasbakken are divided into three sections: wit (white), groen (green), bruin (brown). Separate by colour if your local container makes this distinction.
Noise Rules
Many Dutch municipalities restrict use of glasbakken to daytime hours (often 7am-10pm). Dropping glass in the middle of the night — as quiet as you might try to be — is genuinely antisocial in Dutch residential areas and some municipalities post restrictions.
GFT: Organic and Garden Waste
GFT stands for Groente, Fruit, Tuinafval (vegetable, fruit, garden waste). This stream is collected separately and composted or digested for biogas.
What Goes In GFT
- All vegetable and fruit waste (including cooked)
- Coffee grounds and paper filters
- Tea bags (non-plastic — check: many tea bags contain plastic)
- Egg shells
- Bread and other food scraps
- Cut flowers
- Garden waste: grass clippings, leaves, weeds (no roots with soil), small branches
- Paper kitchen towels (unbleached)
- Natural corks
What Does NOT Go In GFT
- Meat, fish, and dairy (officially these should go in restafval in many municipalities — check locally, as some do accept them)
- Oil and fat
- Cat litter
- Vacuum cleaner bags
- Plastic packaging of any kind
Apartment Dwellers
Many apartment buildings do not have separate GFT collection. In this case, organic waste goes in restafval unless your building has a shared organic waste container. Some municipalities offer compostable GFT bags that can go in a neighbourhood container.
Restafval: Residual Waste
Restafval is what remains after you have sorted everything else. In the Dutch system, the goal is to minimise restafval as much as possible.
Common items that end up in restafval:
- Contaminated or unusable packaging
- Disposable diapers and sanitary items
- Vacuum cleaner bags
- Cat litter and pet waste
- Cling film
- Items too small to sort (screws, small broken items)
- Broken ceramics and crockery (wrapped safely)
Grey Container
In most municipalities, residual waste goes in a grey or black lidded container, collected weekly or bi-weekly. Some cities (Amsterdam included) use an underground container system (ondergrondse containers) that residents open with their Pas (often the OV-chipkaart or a dedicated container pass).
Hazardous Waste: KCA (Klein Chemisch Afval)
Household hazardous waste must not go in regular bins or down the drain. This includes:
- Paint (tins, aerosols)
- Batteries (rechargeable and disposable)
- Mercury thermometers
- Fluorescent tubes and energy-saving bulbs
- Cleaning chemicals
- Motor oil and automotive products
- Medicines (not in normal waste — return to pharmacy)
- Pesticides and herbicides
Where to Take It
Milieustraat (recycling centre): The municipal recycling station accepts hazardous waste, bulky items, electronics, and sorted materials. You need a Milieupas to access most milieustraten (see below).
Chemokar: A mobile hazardous waste collection vehicle that visits neighbourhoods on scheduled days. Check your gemeente website for the schedule.
Batteries: Many supermarkets, electronics stores (MediaMarkt, Coolblue), and IKEA have battery collection bins at the entrance.
Medicines: Return to your apotheek (pharmacy). Do not flush or bin medication — active ingredients contaminate water.
The Milieupas
A Milieupas is required to access most Dutch milieustraten (recycling centres). It is linked to your address and vehicle registration.
How to Get One
- Contact your gemeente (search ‘[your city] milieupas aanvragen’)
- Register your home address and vehicle registration plate
- Receive a physical card or digital pass via app
- Present at the milieustraat access point
The pass is free for most users. Some municipalities charge per visit or per weight of material deposited for commercial users. Residential users typically have a number of free visits per year.
What the Milieustraat Accepts
- Bulky waste (furniture, mattresses, white goods)
- Electronics (e-waste — televisions, computers, phones)
- Hazardous waste (KCA)
- Building materials (tiles, wood, plasterboard — sorted by type)
- Green waste (large quantities)
- Textiles (if no street container)
- Clean materials for sorted recycling (wood, metal, etc.)
The Afvalkalender: Your Collection Calendar
The afvalkalender is the collection schedule for your address. It tells you:
- Which type of waste is collected on which day
- Whether collection is weekly or bi-weekly
- Special collection days (e.g., Christmas trees in January, garden waste in spring)
Finding Your Afvalkalender
Search ‘[your municipality] afvalkalender’ on the gemeente website. Enter your postcode and house number for a specific schedule.
Most municipalities also have a free app. Widely used apps include:
- Afvalwijzer (operates for many municipalities)
- Mijn gemeente (municipality-specific)
- ROVA (for eastern Netherlands municipalities)
- HVC (for parts of North Holland)
- Cyclus (South Holland region)
These apps send push notifications the evening before collection, which is useful when you are still learning the rhythm.
Kringloopwinkel: Second-Hand Before Recycling
Before recycling, consider whether an item can be reused. Kringloopwinkels are the Dutch thrift shop chain, operating in most cities and towns.
Why Kringloop Matters
Kringloopwinkels serve a dual function: they divert usable items from waste streams, and they provide affordable goods to buyers. For expats arriving or leaving the Netherlands, they are particularly useful.
Arriving: Buy affordable furniture, kitchen equipment, bicycles, and household goods without full prices. My shopping guide for expats covers where to find what you need.
Leaving: Donate furniture and household goods rather than paying for disposal. The kringloop picks up free of charge for larger items (call to schedule).
How to Donate
- Walk-in donations: Bring bags of clothing, books, small items to the shop front
- Large item collection: Call the kringloop to schedule a free home collection for furniture, appliances, and large items
- What they accept: Furniture, clothing, books, bicycles, sports equipment, kitchenware, small electronics (they check if working), toys
What They Do Not Accept
- Mattresses (take to milieustraat)
- Large white goods (refrigerators, washing machines — milieustraat)
- Building materials
- Broken or unusable items
Sustainability Beyond Recycling
Supermarkt Deposit Containers (Statiegeld Machines)
Every major Dutch supermarket now has statiegeld machines near the entrance. Return bottles and cans before shopping — it is a standard part of the Dutch weekly routine.
Deposit Bottles Outside Shops
Some municipalities allow bottle collectors (often homeless individuals or low-income people) to collect statiegeld bottles from recycling bins or rubbish areas. These bottles are returned for the deposit. Many Dutch people leave statiegeld bottles visibly next to bins rather than inside them, making them accessible to collectors.
Repair Café
The Netherlands originated the Repair Café concept in 2009 (Amsterdam). These are free community events where volunteers help repair broken items — clothing, electronics, bicycles, furniture. Over 1,500 Repair Cafés operate globally now, and most Dutch cities have multiple locations. Search repaircafe.org for your nearest.
Second-Hand Apps
- Marktplaats (like Craigslist/Gumtree) — the primary Dutch second-hand marketplace
- Vinted — particularly active in the Netherlands for clothing
- Facebook Marketplace — good for furniture and household items
For more on buying second-hand in the Netherlands, see our guide to second-hand shopping.
Quick Reference: What Goes Where
| Item | Correct bin |
|---|---|
| Yoghurt pot (rinsed) | PMD (orange) |
| Milk carton | PMD (orange) |
| Pizza box (clean) | Papier (blue) |
| Pizza box (greasy) | Restafval (grey) |
| Wine bottle | Glasbak (street) |
| Shampoo bottle | PMD (orange) |
| Plastic bag | Restafval |
| Broken plate | Restafval (wrapped) |
| Battery | Milieustraat or collection bin |
| Old phone | Milieustraat (e-waste) |
| Old sofa | Kringloop collection or milieustraat |
| Medicine | Pharmacy (apotheek) |
| Leaves and grass | GFT (green) |
| Cat litter | Restafval |
Useful Resources
- Milieu Centraal: Waste and recycling
- Afvalwijzer app
- Statiegeld Nederland
- Kringloopwijzer: Find a kringloopwinkel
- Repair Café Netherlands
- Afval Circulair: Netherlands government waste policy
- Circulair Materialenplan (successor to the national waste plan LAP3)
For more daily life guides, see our articles on Dutch utilities explained and energy providers for expats.
Sustainability in Daily Life: Beyond the Bins
Recycling is the most visible part of Dutch sustainability culture, but it is part of a broader approach to environmental responsibility that shapes daily life here.
Reusable cups: Many Dutch coffee shops and cafés encourage or require reusable cups for takeaway coffee. Some charge a small deposit for disposable cups (similar to statiegeld). If you have a reusable cup, bring it — it is entirely normal and appreciated.
Plastic bag charges: Single-use plastic bags have been charged (around EUR 0.25–0.50) in Dutch shops since 2016. Most people carry a reusable bag (boodschappentas). Arriving at the checkout without one is not embarrassing, but buying the same plastic bag twice a week quickly becomes a minor annoyance. Reusable shopping bags cost EUR 1–3 at Albert Heijn or Action.
Repair culture: The Netherlands has an active repair culture. Repair Cafés (free community repair workshops) exist in most Dutch towns — volunteers help you repair electronics, clothing, bicycles, and household items rather than throwing them away. Search “Repair Café [your city]” to find your local one.
Clothing: Kringloopwinkels (charity shops / thrift stores) are excellent quality in the Netherlands — often selling good-quality Dutch and international brands at a fraction of retail. Platforms like Vinted are also popular for clothing resale. Sustainable fashion consumption is normalised in Dutch culture in a way that might be different from your home country.
Food choices: The Netherlands has a high density of vegetarian and vegan restaurants and meal options relative to its size. Organic (biologisch) supermarkets like Ekoplaza and organic ranges at Albert Heijn are widely available. The Dutch government has been actively encouraging reduced meat consumption as a sustainability policy — you will notice this in how food choices are presented at institutional and corporate events.
Understanding the Afvalwijzer App
The Afvalwijzer app is the most practical sustainability tool for newly arrived expats. Enter your postcode and it shows:
- Your specific bin collection schedule (not all municipalities collect all bins on the same day)
- Which items go in which bin (with a searchable database of hundreds of items)
- The location of your nearest glasbak, milieustraat, and special collection points
- Reminders for collection days (you can set alerts)
The app is in Dutch but highly navigable. For any item where you are unsure, the search function covers virtually every household object. If the answer is “milieustraat” — it means the item needs to go to the recycling centre (often a 10-minute cycle ride) rather than a home bin.
The Netherlands’ Sustainability Context: What Expats Should Know
The Netherlands has strong environmental credentials in some areas and genuine challenges in others. Understanding the broader context helps make sense of why certain rules and systems exist:
Circular economy leadership: The Netherlands has a government target to achieve a fully circular economy by 2050, with a 50% reduction in the use of new raw materials by 2030. The waste separation and recycling rules you experience as a new arrival are directly connected to this national policy. The statiegeld system on bottles and cans — where you pay a deposit included in the price and get it back when you return the container — is a practical expression of circular economy policy that achieves very high return rates.
Energy transition: The Dutch are transitioning from natural gas heating (to which the country was deeply committed due to the Groningen gas field) to district heating, heat pumps, and solar. If you rent a property with a heat pump or district heating connection rather than a gas boiler, you are experiencing this transition directly. The national insulation subsidy programme (ISDE) is available to homeowners upgrading insulation; renters benefit from their landlord’s incentive to improve the energy label.
Plastic reduction: The Netherlands banned many single-use plastics in line with EU directives from 2021. Supermarkets charge for plastic bags (minimum €0.25) and are transitioning to alternatives. Most Dutch supermarkets now have a statiegeld return machine for plastic bottles and cans — use it every time.
Carbon footprint of Dutch expat life: The Netherlands has relatively high per-capita emissions, partly due to the high proportion of natural gas heating and the car-dependent suburban areas outside major cities. For expats conscious of their footprint, cycling everywhere, choosing electric or hybrid transport, and keeping heating moderate in a well-insulated property makes a measurable difference.
Water in the Netherlands: A Sustainability Note
The Netherlands’ relationship with water is unique and worth understanding:
Tap water quality: Dutch tap water (kraanwater) is among the cleanest and best-tasting in the world. There is no reason to buy bottled water — doing so generates unnecessary plastic waste. Water companies like Evides, Vitens, and PWN produce water that regularly wins blind taste tests. Bring a reusable water bottle; refill it from the tap.
Flood risk: Parts of the Netherlands are below sea level, protected by an extensive system of dykes, pumping stations, and water management infrastructure. Climate change increases the risk of flooding events. If you live in a flood-risk area (your gemeente can tell you whether your address is at risk), it is worth understanding what the emergency procedures are.
Grey water and garden watering: Dutch gardens in dry summers can face hosepipe restrictions in some municipalities. Check your local municipality’s rules in summer dry periods — using collected rainwater for garden irrigation is both permitted and encouraged.
For broader sustainability in your daily life in the Netherlands, the cost of living guide covers energy costs in detail, and the energy providers guide explains how to choose a green energy tariff.
Switch to a greener energy deal with a few clicks: How to compare Dutch energy providers →
Frequently Asked Questions
What does PMD stand for and what can go in it?
PMD stands for Plastic, Metal, and Drinkpakketten (drink cartons). The orange bags (oranje zak) or orange containers collect: plastic bottles and packaging, metal tins and cans, aluminium foil, aerosol cans (empty), and drink cartons (juice boxes, soup cartons, milk cartons). What does NOT go in PMD: broken toys, garden hoses, plastic bags used as rubbish liners, anything with residual food in it, foam packaging, or plastic bags from the supermarket.
How does the statiegeld deposit system work in the Netherlands?
Statiegeld is a deposit return scheme. You pay a deposit (statiegeld) of €0.15 on small PET bottles and cans, and €0.25 on large PET bottles (above 1 litre) when you buy them. Return the empty bottle or can to a collection machine (inzamelmachine) at supermarkets — Albert Heijn, Jumbo, Lidl, Aldi, and most major chains have them. The machine scans the barcode, accepts the item, and gives you a voucher to use against your next purchase or as cash.
What is a kringloopwinkel and where do I find one?
A kringloopwinkel (literally 'recycling shop' or thrift shop) is a second-hand shop where donated household goods, furniture, clothing, books, and electronics are sold. Kringloops are operated by charities or social enterprises and are excellent for both buying affordable items and donating things you no longer need instead of putting them in general waste. Major chains include Kringloopwinkel (municipal), Het Goed, and Emmaus. You can drop off items directly or have larger pieces collected.
What is the Milieupas?
A Milieupas is a pass required at most Dutch recycling centres (milieustraat or chemokar) to drop off large, bulky, or hazardous waste items. You register your Dutch home address and vehicle registration with the local gemeente, and receive a card that grants access to the milieustraat. Without it, you cannot drop off at these facilities. Some municipalities use a digital pass via an app. Contact your gemeente to register — it is free.
What is the afvalkalender and how do I find mine?
The afvalkalender is a collection calendar showing which type of waste is collected on which day in your area. Waste collection in the Netherlands is highly specific — different bins/bags are collected on different days and sometimes different weeks. Most Dutch municipalities publish their afvalkalender on their website and via a free app (often branded with the municipality or waste collector name). Search '[your municipality] afvalkalender' or check the Afvalwijzer app.
Can I recycle clothes and textiles in the Netherlands?
Yes. Textile containers (textielcontainer or kledingcontainer) are located throughout most Dutch neighbourhoods — on streets, in supermarket car parks, and near community centres. These accept clean clothing, paired shoes, linens, and towels. The collected items are sorted: wearable items go to second-hand sales (nationally and internationally), non-wearable items are recycled into industrial fibre. Brands including H&M and Zara also collect textiles in-store.